September 2014 - Comp-neuro - lists.cnsorg.org

NEURAL COMPUTATION - April, 2014
by Terry Sejnowski April 24, 2016

April 24, 2016

Neural Computation - Contents -- Volume 26, Number 4 - April 1, 2014 Available online for download now: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/toc/neco/26/4 ----- Article Parametric Inference in the Large Data Limit Using Maximally Informative Models Justin Block Kinney, Gurinder Singh Atwal Letters Input Statistics and Hebbian Crosstalk Effects Anca R. Radulescu Learning Nonlinear Regularities in Natural Images by Modeling the Outer Product of Image Intensities Peng Qi, Xiaolin Hu Dissociable Forms of Repetition Priming: A Computational Model Kirill Makukhin, Scott Bolland Refined Rademacher Chaos Complexity Bounds With Applications to the Multi-Kernel Learning Problem Yunwen Lei, Lixin Ding Large Margin Low Rank Tensor Analysis Guoqiang Zhong, Mohamed Cheriet Large-scale Linear RankSVM Ching-Pei Lee, Chih-Jen Lin ------------ ON-LINE -- http://www.mitpressjournals.org/neuralcomp SUBSCRIPTIONS - 2014 - VOLUME 26 - 12 ISSUES USA Others Electronic Only Student/Retired $70 $193 $65 Individual $124 $187 $115 Institution $1,035 $1,098 $926 Canada: Add 5% GST MIT Press Journals, 238 Main Street, Suite 500, Cambridge, MA 02142-9902 Tel: (617) 253-2889 FAX: (617) 577-1545 journals-orders(a)mit.edu ------------

1 29

v5.7 of NeuroMorpho.Org released on 30 May, 2014
by NeuroMorpho Administrator March 10, 2016

March 10, 2016

Version 5.7 of NeuroMorpho.Org was released on 30 May, 2014. The release included 29 new data sets (1341 reconstructions), including from three new animal species (dragonfly, moth, and sheep). The database now contains 11,335 reconstructions from 144 contributing labs. More than 3.2 million reconstructions were downloaded in over 130,000 unique visits from 146 countries. Please visit the What's new<http://neuromorpho.org/neuroMorpho/WIN.jsp> page for details on data included in this release, including new species strains, brain regions, cell types, and experimental conditions. The Acknowledgements <http://neuromorpho.org/neuroMorpho/acknowl.jsp> include details on contributing labs, and the About<http://neuromorpho.org/neuroMorpho/about.jsp> page provides an updated overview of the repository content. A new user-friendly functionality, OntoSearch<http://neuromorpho.org/neuroMorpho/OntoSearch.jsp>, was introduced in this release, enabling more powerful searches of species and strains with automated synonym translation, taxonomical relations, and keyword auto-completion. The literature coverage database was also updated to include publications through March 2014. We are continuously grateful to all the data owners who freely share their data with the community. We always appreciate any and all feedback and comments. Sincerely, The NeuroMorpho.Org team -- Ruchi Parekh, Ph.D. NeuroMorpho.Org Project Lead Postdoctoral Research Fellow Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, and Plasticity Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study MS2A1, George Mason University Fairfax, VA 22030 (USA) Ph - +1-703-993-4382<tel:%2B1-703-993-4382> www.neuromorpho.org<http://www.neuromorpho.org/> nmadmin(a)gmu.edu<mailto:nmadmin@gmu.edu>?

1 1

Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, PhD Programme
by Peter Dayan Sept. 24, 2015

Sept. 24, 2015

Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London 4 year PhD Programme The Gatsby Unit is a centre for theoretical neuroscience and machine learning, focusing on unsupervised, semi-supervised and reinforcement learning, neural dynamics, population coding, Bayesian and nonparametric statistics, kernel methods, and applications of these to the analysis of perceptual processing, neural data, machine vision and bioinformatics. It provides a unique opportunity for a critical mass of theoreticians to interact closely with each other, and with other world-class research groups in related departments at UCL, including the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, with which we will shortly share a building, and Biosciences, Computer Science, Functional Imaging, Physics, Physiology, Psychology, Neurology, Ophthalmology and Statistics, the cross-faculty Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning, and also with other UK and overseas universities. The Unit has openings for exceptional PhD candidates. Applicants should have a strong analytical background, a keen interest in neuroscience and/or machine learning and a relevant first degree, for example in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Physics, Psychology or Statistics. The PhD programme lasts four years, including a first year of intensive instruction in techniques and research in theoretical neuroscience and machine learning. All students are fully funded, regardless of nationality. The Unit also welcomes applications from students with pre-secured funding or who are currently soliciting other scholarship/studentships. We will review applications as soon as they are complete (including a CV, statement of research interests and letters from three referees) until the positions are filled. Early application is thus advised. Full details of our programme, and how to apply, are available at: http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/teaching/phd For further details of research interests please see http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/research.html and the individual faculty webpages at http://www.gatsby.ucl.ac.uk/members.html

1 2

PhD studentships in computational neuroscience and machine learning
by Steuber, Volker Aug. 28, 2015

Aug. 28, 2015

Applications are invited for PhD studentships in the Biocomputation Research Group at the Science and Technology Research Institute at the University of Hertfordshire. PhD projects involve the development of computer simulations of neurons and neuronal networks to study information processing in the brain, and/or the application of machine learning techniques to analyse electrophysiological data. More details about our research and a list of potential projects can be found on our homepage (http://homepages.herts.ac.uk/~comqvs/research.html) Applicants should have good computational and numerical skills and an excellent first degree in computer science, biology, maths, physics, neuroscience, or a related discipline. Previous experience in neuroscience is not required but would be an advantage. Successful candidates are eligible for a research studentship award from the University (approximately GBP 13,800 per annum bursary plus the payment of the standard UK student fees). Applicants from outside the UK or EU are eligible, but will have to pay half of the overseas fees out of their bursary. Research in Computer Science at the University of Hertfordshire has been recognized as excellent by the latest Research Assessment Exercise, with 55% of the research submitted being rated as world leading or internationally excellent. The Science and Technology Research Institute provides a very stimulating environment, offering a large number of specialized and interdisciplinary seminars as well as general training opportunities. The University of Hertfordshire is situated in Hatfield, in the green belt just north of London. Please contact Dr Volker Steuber (v.steuber @ herts.ac.uk) for informal enquiries. Application forms can be obtained from Mrs Lorraine Nicholls, Research Student Administrator, STRI, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AB, Tel: 01707 286083, l.nicholls @ herts.ac.uk. The short-listing process will begin on 9 June 2014.

1 3

New book "Understanding Vision: theory, models, and data"
by Zhaoping Li Feb. 13, 2015

Feb. 13, 2015

This book "Understanding Vision: theory, models, and data" is published by Oxford University Press in May 2014 and, by now, it is available from various online sites and shops worldwide. For more information, go to http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/zhaoping.li/VisionBook.html The book's Table of Contents can be viewed at http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/zhaoping.li/prints/TableOfContents.pdf Teaching and learning support for the book (e.g., ppt files for the figures in the book) is also available and will be updated at http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/zhaoping.li/VisionBook.html . Readership: Computational neuroscientists, visual psychologists/cognitive scientists, Visual neuroscientists/physiologists/anatomists, Researchers in machine vision or computer vision or robot vision The book is written in such a way that vision scientists, unfamiliar with mathematical details, should be able to conceptually follow the theoretical principles and their relationship with physiological, anatomical, and psychological observations, without going through the more mathematical pages. For those with a physical science background, especially those from machine vision, this book serves as an analytical introduction to biological vision. It can be used as a textbook or a reference book in a vision course, or a computational neuroscience course for graduate students or advanced undergraduate students. It is also suitable for self-learning by motivated readers. In addition, for those with a focused interest in just one of the topics in the book, it is feasible to read just the chapter on this topic without having read or fully comprehended the other chapters. In particular, Chapter 2 presents a brief overview of experimental observations on biological vision; Chapter 3 is on encoding of visual inputs, Chapter 5 is on visual attentional selection driven by sensory inputs, and Chapter 6 is on visual perception or decoding. Please let me know if you need more information. best wishes, Li Zhaoping

1 1

2 Post-doc positions on the relation of information and causation (Prof. Giulio Tononi)
by Larissa Albantakis Dec. 17, 2014

Dec. 17, 2014

Up to 2 postdoctoral positions are available at the center for sleep and consciousness science in the laboratory of Dr. Giulio Tononi (University of Wisconsin, Madison), to study the relation of information and causation within the framework of the integrated information theory of consciousness (Balduzzi & Tononi, 2008; Tononi, 2012). Immediate funding is available for a range of projects related to foundational questions regarding the ontological status of information, and its relation to causation, emergence, adaptation, evolution, and consciousness (see detailed scope of work below). Successful candidates will work at the center for sleep and consciousness science, dedicated to a broad range of research problems focused on two neurobiological problems -- the mechanisms and functions of sleep and the neural substrates of consciousness. Candidates are expected to have strong training in an analytically rigorous discipline such as theoretical biology/neuroscience, physics, mathematics, computer science, or engineering. For at least one of the positions, we explicitely encourage mathematicians to apply. Experience in information theory, complex systems, and an interest in the philosophy of information/causation are a plus. Programming experience is required (knowledge of MATLAB and/or C++ is of advantage). Appointments are renewable from year to year for up to 3 years, starting as soon as possible or until the positions are filled. Post-doc salaries correspond to the National Institutes of Health National Research Service Award (NRSA) stipend schedule for postdoc trainees, based on number of years of postdoctoral experience. Candidates should send a CV, brief statement of previous research and future research interests, and email addresses and phone numbers of three references to: Giulio Tononi, gtononi(a)wisc.edu. Balduzzi D, Tononi G (2008) Integrated information in discrete dynamical systems: motivation and theoretical framework. /PLoS Comput Biol/ 4:e1000091. Hoel, E. P., Albantakis, L., & Tononi, G. (2013). Quantifying causal emergence shows that macro can beat micro. /PNAS/, /110/(49), 19790--19795. Tononi G (2012) Integrated Information Theory of Consciousness: An Updated Account. /Arch Ital Biol/ 150:56--90. The scope of work will range from: -theoretical development and computational implementation of the notion of intrinsic causal information -causal analysis, including the systematic use of perturbations, counterfactuals, and irreducibility -analysis of complex systems in terms their causal/informational structure -meaning (understanding and control) from the intrinsic perspective of the system -actual causation (causal explanation) -examining similarities and differences between existing notions of information and causation (Shannon information, algorithmic information,...) -defining emergence in terms of the spatio-temporal grain size at which a system of elements achieves a maximum of causal power -evolutionary/adaptive aspects of information/causation including simulations based on small adaptive neural networks (animats), which evolve and adapt to an environment that requires sensitivity to context for survival

2 2

3 year postdoc in London, modelling bee brains
by Lars Chittka Oct. 6, 2014

Oct. 6, 2014

Hello, We have a 3-year postdoc position (HFSP funded) to work on a project entitled: "A neural circuit approach to cognition and its limits in microbrains". The postdoctoral fellow will focus on building computational models of the bee visual system and higher-level brain centres. See here: http://www.jobs.qmul.ac.uk/5111 Informal inquiries can be sent to l.chittka(a)qmul.ac.uk Thank you and best wishes, Lars -- Lars Chittka, PhD, MSc Professor in Sensory & Behavioural Ecology School of Biological & Chemical Sciences Fogg Building Queen Mary, University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK Email: l.chittka(a)qmul.ac.uk Tel: *44 (0) 20 7882 3043 Fax: *44 (0) 20 7882 7732 http://chittkalab.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/ Room 2.13 via 2.10 -- Lars Chittka, PhD, MSc Professor in Sensory & Behavioural Ecology School of Biological & Chemical Sciences Fogg Building Queen Mary, University of London Mile End Road London E1 4NS UK Email: l.chittka(a)qmul.ac.uk Tel: *44 (0) 20 7882 3043 Fax: *44 (0) 20 7882 7732 http://chittkalab.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/ Room 2.13 via 2.10

1 1

CogModel notes: ICCM15/CogSci14 Proc/Mooc on AI/confs/Jobs
by Frank Ritter Sept. 30, 2014

Sept. 30, 2014

This is the third emailing for ICCM 2015 in April 2015. Please forward if appropriate to your members, and put appropriate links onto your web site, and so on. There are a lot of jobs going. The ICCM 2015 announcement drives this email (it will be in Gronigen, NL, 8-11 April 2015, on its regular (15/18 month) schedule). There are several timely (or late) announcements that indicate new publication outlets, resources, and jobs in Cog Sci and in cognitive modeling. I have also included two unusual items, a Mooc and video for a book! Now in order: meetings, resources, jobs. If you would like to be removed, please just let me know. I maintain it by hand to keep it small. I take some announcements from the Soar group, the ACT-R group, and http://listserv.acm.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ACMLPX.CGI?LIST=CHI-JOBS http://www.neuroinf.org/mailman/listinfo/comp-neuro [Hypertext version available at http://acs.ist.psu.edu/iccm2015/iccm-mailing-sep2014.html] cheers, Frank Ritter frank.e.ritter(a)gmail.com http://www.frankritter.com **************************************************************** 1. International Conf. on Cognitive Modeling, 9-11 Apr 15, Gronigen, NL http://www.iccm2015.org/, submissions due 8 dec 2014 2. International Conf. on Cognitive Modeling, tutorial call, due 8 Dec 2014 http://www.iccm2015.org/submissions/tutorials/ ;;;; OTHER RESOURCES 3. Video (!) summary of Foundations for User-centered Design (HCI) book http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER0EyHQM6e8 4. Cognitive Science 2014 Proceedings available https://mindmodeling.org/cogsci2014/ 5. MOOC on Developmental Artificial Intelligence http://liris.cnrs.fr/ideal/mooc (starts Oct 2014) 6. Survey on HCI education :::: OTHER CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS 7. AAAI 2015 special track on Cognitive Systems http://www.aaai.org/Conferences/AAAI/2015/aaai15cognitive.php 8. 2014 Annual International Conference on Biologically Inspired Cognitive Architectures (BICA 2014) 7-9 Nov 14 http://bicasociety.org/meetings/ 9. iConference 2015, 24-27 March 2015, various due dates https://www.conftool.com/iConference2015/ 10. Scientific Discovery in the Social Sciences, papers due 1 oct 14 http://homepages.stca.herts.ac.uk/~comqpcl 11. Call for Papers: IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine (CIM) Special Issue: "Computational Intelligence for Changing Environments" http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/~ahu/IEEE-CIM-CICE2015.pdf 12. CALL FOR PROPOSALS: AISB Workshop Series http://aisb.org.uk/media/files/AISBWorkshops.pdf 13. AI Career Network Conference during AAAI-15 in Jan 2015 http://sigai.acm.org/cnc/cfp.html, due: 6 Oct 2014 ;;;; POSITIONS 14. Henry Rutgers Term Chair in Computer and Data Science (due 1 nov 14) 15. Full Professor of Applied CS (Ubiquitous Computing), Vienna U. of Tech. http://www.informatik.tuwien.ac.at (due 20 oct 14) 16. Tenure Track Asst. Prof of Cog Psy, UC/Riverside (due 10 oct 14) https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/apply/JPF00159 17. Faculty Position in Computational Neuroscience at UC/Irvine (due 15 Nov 14) https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF02452 18. Research Lectureship in HCI, U. of St Andrews, Scotland (due 3 Oct 14) http://bit.ly/sachi_lectureship 19. Lecturer in HCI, U. of Birmingham (UK), Closes 5 Oct 14 http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AJJ517/lecturer-in-human-computer-interaction-hci/ 20. Faculty position in system dynamics, MIT Sloan School of Management https://sloanfacultysearches.mit.edu/sd/ 21. Asst. Prof - Embodied Cognitive Science, Cog Sci Program, Indiana https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/1006 (due 1 nov 14) 22. Open Rank Faculty Position, Indiana, School of Informatics & Computing http://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/971 due 1 Dec 2014 23. Full Prof for Applied Cog Psych, U of Ulm (due: 3 Oct 2014) 24. Faculty positions in Computer Science at American U http://apply.interfolio.com/25813 (due 3 Nov 2014) 25. Faculty Position in Comp Games & Virt Worlds @Concordia U. (due 1 dec 14) https://www.concordia.ca/encs/about/jobs/strategic-hire-computer-games-virt… 26. NIH-Wide Stadtman Tenure-Track Recruitment (30 sep 2015, annual?) http://irp.nih.gov/careers/faculty-level-scientific-careers/stadtman-tenure… 27. Junior professorship to work in Germany, due 1 sep 14 and 1 sep 15? http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/skp_en 28. Post-doctoral fellow in computational cognitive modeling, Wright State http://jobs.wright.edu/postings/8101 (reviewed from 22 sep 14) 29. 3 year postdoc in London, modelling bee brains http://www.jobs.qmul.ac.uk/5111 (due 9 oct 14) 30. Junior position in Cognitive Science research group at ETS (ongoing) 31. Research Scientist Computational Neuroscience Position in Toronto (due 19 Oct 14) 32. PhD position in computational modelling at Max Planck/Leipzig http://www.o-brain-project.de (until filled) 33. KTP associate post-doc in workload for rail control http://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=2328&forced=1 34. Web Developer for Databrary.org [until filled] http://Databrary.org 35. Cognitive Robotics Job, Army Res. Lab (until filled) **************************************************************** 1. International Conf. on Cognitive Modeling, 9-11 Apr 15, Gronigen, NL http://www.iccm2015.org/, submissions due 8 dec 2014 The International Conference on Cognitive Modeling will take place in 9-11 April 2015 at RU/Gronigen, the Netherlands. All paper, poster, symposium, and tutorial submissions are due on 8 Dec 2014, 11.59pm CEST [Central European Standard Time, +1GMT]. They should be submitted via our online submission system, which will be available closer to the deadline. There are three types of regular submissions: Papers: refereed papers of up to 6 pages. If a submission is accepted to be published as a paper, the paper will be presented at the conference either as a talk or as a poster. Posters: refereed poster abstracts of up to 2 pages. If accepted, the corresponding poster will be presented at the conference in a dedicated poster session. Symposia: refereed symposia abstracts of up to 2 pages. If accepted, the conference committee will contact the authors to help organize and schedule the symposium. The website has further details, and will have more as the conference approaches **************************************************************** 2. International Conf. on Cognitive Modeling, tutorial call, due 8 Dec 2014 http://www.iccm2015.org/submissions/tutorials/ The day before the conference (8 apr 15) will be devoted to tutorials on various cognitive modelling techniques and approaches. If you are interested in submitting a proposal for a tutorial, please see the tutorial page for more information. Tutorial proposals will be evaluated by the organising committee on the basis of their estimated benefit for prospective participants and on their fit within the tutorials program as a whole. If you are interested in organising a tutorial, please send us an email at info(a)iccm2015.org by 8 Dec 2014 with the following information: - a 150 word description of the tutorial - duration (half-day or full-day) - who the tutors will be - any pre-requisites that participants need to follow the tutorial We will notify you of acceptance or rejection by 1 Feb 2015. **************************************************************** 3. Video (!) summary of Foundations for User-centered Design (HCI) book http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER0EyHQM6e8 Our HCI book (http://www.frankritter.com/fducs) now has a video summary, which seems, ahh, interesting. For your education, edification, and amusement. I think it was automatically created: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER0EyHQM6e8 **************************************************************** 4. Cognitive Science 2014 Proceedings available https://mindmodeling.org/cogsci2014/ The Cognitive Science Conference proceedings are now available: https://mindmodeling.org/cogsci2014/ **************************************************************** 5. MOOC on Developmental Artificial Intelligence http://liris.cnrs.fr/ideal/mooc (starts Oct 2014) I was going to write to you to announce our MOOC on Developmental Artificial Intelligence: The teaser: http://youtu.be/kQPz9InhHjk The web page: http://liris.cnrs.fr/ideal/mooc The course will begin in Oct but participants may register already and start meeting the community. Please share this announcement widely! We are not only looking for participants but also for partners to provide inputs and collaborate on this occasion. I am also looking for suggestions of mailing lists or any idea to share this announcement. Olivier.Georgeon(a)gmail.com **************************************************************** 6. Survey on HCI education [perhaps dated and in HCI, but modeling is used in HCI] As part of our research focused on the international HCI curriculum, one of our PhD students, Ann Austin, is investigating the cognitive style of HCI students. In order to provide her with a benchmark against which to compare them, she is asking HCI professionals, both practitioners and educators, to complete the following survey. The survey should take around 20 minutes to complete: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDFuWHRla0dWSDdjUEpLR0… If you have other colleagues that would also be prepared to participate in this survey, please do pass on the URL of the link. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact her: Ann.Austin(a)uwl.ac.uk Many Thanks! Jose Abdelnour Nocera, PhD Assoc Prof in Sociotechnical Design Inst for Practice and Interdisciplinary Research (INSPIRE) Head of Sociotechnical Centre for Innovation and User Experience U of West London St Mary's Road, Ealing - London W5 5RF https://soc.uwl.ac.uk/~jabdelno **************************************************************** 7. AAAI 2015 special track on Cognitive Systems http://www.aaai.org/Conferences/AAAI/2015/aaai15cognitive.php [This is an annual thing, and you might be interested in it next year] As you may know, AAAI 2015 will be held in January, with submissions due in September. This year it includes a Special Track on Cognitive Systems that is being co-chaired by Ken Forbus and Paul Rosenbloom. The blurb for the track is below, and the official webpage is http://www.aaai.org/Conferences/AAAI/2015/aaai15cognitive.php. We're looking for great papers on a variety of topics likely to be relevance to the Soar community. In an attempt to return to the original goals of artificial intelligence and cognitive science, this special track invites papers in human-level intelligence, integrated cognition, cognitive architectures, and related areas that aim to explain intelligence in computational terms and reproduce a range of human cognitive abilities in computational artifacts. Critically, the track will focus on cognitive capabilities "in the context of complete artificial cognitive systems," hence papers on individual component algorithms will only be accepted if they discuss these algorithms and their functions in conjunction with the rest of the integrated artificial cognitive system. Possible topics include the following, as well as other related integrated cognitive functions and issues: * memory storage and retrieval * motivation and emotion * social cognition and interaction * learning and knowledge capture * introspection and meta-cognition * methods of integration * conceptual inference and reasoning * problem solving and decision making * perception, imagery and motor control * natural language understanding and dialogue * efficiency and real-time performance (i.e., reaching the ~50 ms cog cycle time) Papers will be reviewed by qualified reviewers drawn from a special track committee, with general expertise in artificial cognitive systems and specific expertise in at least one of the above areas. We encourage authors to clearly explain how their paper fits into the Special Track on Cognitive Systems and how it answers the call for papers. In cases where a submitted paper is not deemed relevant, it may be considered for review for another special track or the general technical papers track at the discretion of the tracks and conference cochairs. **************************************************************** 8. 2014 Annual International Conference on Biologically Inspired Cognitive Architectures (BICA 2014) 7-9 Nov 14 http://bicasociety.org/meetings/ Fifth Annual Meeting of the BICA Society 7-9 Nov 14 (F-S): MIT http://bicasociety.org/meetings/2014/ http://bicasociety.org/meetings/2014/cfp/bica2014cfp.pdf PoC: Paul Robertson (paulr(a)dollabs.com) and Alexei Samsonovich (alexei(a)bicasociety.org Fifth Annual Meeting of the BICA Society Biologically Inspired Cognitive Architectures (BICA) are computational frameworks for building intelligent agents that are inspired from biological intelligence. Biological intelligent systems, notably animals such as humans, have many qualities that are often lacking in artificially designed systems including robustness, flexibility and adaptability to environments. At a point in time where visibility into naturally intelligent systems is exploding, thanks to modern brain imaging and recording techniques allowing us to map brain structures and functions, our ability to learn lessons from nature and to build biologically inspired intelligent systems has never been greater. At the same time, the growth in computer science and technology has unleashed enough computational power at sufficiently low prices, that an explosion of intelligent applications from driverless vehicles, to augmented reality, to ubiquitous robots, is now almost certain. The growth in these fields challenges the computational replication of all essential aspects of the human mind (the BICA Challenge), an endeavor which is interdisciplinary in nature and promises to yield bi-directional flow of understanding between all involved disciplines. Scope With the scope of BICA 2014 covering all areas of BICA-related research listed below, the major thrusts will be Perception, Attention, and Language. Here the key questions are: * What can we learn from biological systems about how perception, attention, decision making, and action work together to produce intelligent behavior that is robust in natural environments? * What have we learned about information flow in biological systems that can aid us in building better artificial systems that combine perception, action, language, learning, and decision making in robots and intelligent agents? * What have we learned recently about information flow in the brain that can lead to better cognitive models that combine perception, attention, decision making, action, language, and learning? * What role is played by emotions in perception, attention, decision making, language, and learning? * How have we, or can we incorporate into cognitive architectures new evolving understandings about flow of information in biological cognitive systems? * What mathematical foundations are emerging today that can support perception and learning? In addition to these focus topic areas of BICA 2014, we encourage submission of papers in all areas of BICA research, especially in the following areas. Format and Agenda The format of the conference is a 3-day meeting including paper presentations, panel discussions, invited talks, and demonstration showcases. Symposia and other mini-events (special sessions, breakout groups, brainstorms, think-tanks, socials, contests, and more) as part of the conference will be added as needed (proposals are solicited). In addition, BICA 2014 will host a special track "Doctorial Consortium" for which a "best student paper" award will be presented. We will also host technology demonstrations, for which we solicit proposals, and a poster session. We solicit additionally proposals for panel topics. The working language is English. As a part of our rich social and cultural program included in the registration, we are planning a Welcome Reception and a boat trip into the Atlantic on Saturday night, with a banquet on the boat. Detailed program is not available yet. Please see our separate pages for Confirmed symposia planned as part of BICA 2014 (we are asking for additional proposals) http://bicasociety.org/meetings/2014/symposia/. Conference Venues: The conference will be held on the MIT campus in the Stata Building on Saturday and Sunday, 8-9 Nov; however, on F, 7 Nov 14, sessions will be held in the nearby Boston Marriott Cambridge hotel (2 Cambridge Center, 50 Broadway, Cambridge MA; 617-494-6600), which is also an official site of BICA 2014, in addition to the MIT campus. Submission and Publication Venues: Publication venues include: (1) the Elsevier journal BICA, http://www.journals.elsevier.com/biologically-inspired-cognitive-architectu…, papers may be distributed among several journal issues; and (2) a volume of _Procedia Computer Science, http://www.journals.elsevier.com/procedia-computer-science, indexed by Web of Science and Scopus. One EasyChair submission site will be used for all categories of submissions, including (1), (2) and also (3): stand-alone abstracts that will be included in the conference program brochure, without being published. All submissions will undergo one round of peer-reviews. The category may be changed based on reviews. All conference materials (including papers and abstracts) will be together made available locally for conference participants (included in the registration package) via USB and/or the Internet. Invited speakers are not required, but are encouraged to submit papers or abstracts. Other participants can have presentations accepted based on an abstract only, without a paper submission. Core Organizing Committee General Chair, Paul Robertson (DOLL, Inc.), http://www.dollabs.com/drpaulrobertson.htm Co-Chairs Patrick H. Winston (CSAIL/MIT), http://people.csail.mit.edu/phw Howard Shrobe (CSAIL/MIT), http://www.csail.mit.edu/user/796 Alexei Samsonovich (GMU), http://mason.gmu.edu/%7Easamsono/ PC Chair Antonio Chella: OC Member Christian Lebiere: OC Member Kamilla R. Johannsdottir: OC Member Michele Ferrante, mferr133(a)gmail.com, (BU): OC Member Submission Preparation: please see this separate page http://bicasociety.org/meetings/2014/submission/ Important Dates *Proposals and ideas for special features and mini-events:** *Doctoral Consortium / Special Student & Young Faculty Track -- send now Paper and Abstract Submission: Submission is OPEN! http://bicasociety.org/meetings/2014/submission Late-breaking stand-alone abstracts due-- contact Alexis Registration and Conference: Registration is OPEN! http://bicasociety.org/meetings/2014/registration Guest and non-presenting attendee online registration due -- 1 Oct 14 Sessions of the conference BICA 2014: November 7-9 **************************************************************** 9. iConference 2015, 24-27 March 2015, various due dates https://www.conftool.com/iConference2015/ *Now Accepting Submissions* 24-27 Mar 2015 Newport Beach, CA USA http://ischools.org/the-iconference/ We are now accepting submissions for iConference 2015. Submissions may be made on our secure submissions site at https://www.conftool.com/iConference2015/ The iConference is an international gathering of scholars and researchers concerned with critical information issues in contemporary society. The following submissions are invited: *Submission Type* *Deadline* *Notification* Papers http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/papers/ Fri 5 Sep 14, midnight PDT mid-Nov Posters http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/posters/ F 10 Oct 14, midnight PDT mid-Nov Workshops http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/workshops/ F 26 Sep 14, midnight PDT Mon 27 Oct 14 Interactive Sessions http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/sessions-for-interaction-and-en… F 10 Oct 14, midnight PDT mid-Nov Doctoral Colloquium http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/doctoral-colloquium/ F 12 Sep 14, midnight PDT F 24 Oct 14 Social Media Expo http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/social-media-expo/ Participation commitment letter due 14 Oct 14 submissions due 15 Dec 14 Th 15 Jan 15 Dissertation Award http://ischools.org/the-iconference/program/dissertation-award/ W 15 Oct 14, midnight PDT Th 15 Jan 15 iConference 2015 http://ischools.org/the-iconference/ takes place March 24-27 in Newport Beach, CA. It is presented by the iSchools organization http://ischools.org and hosted by The Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at UC/Irvine. All information researchers and scholars are welcome. Sample topics of past iConferences include the following: ? human-computer interaction ? digital humanities ? digital curation and preservation ? digital youth ? knowledge infrastructures ? information retrieval ? data, text and knowledge mining ? social computing ? computational social science ? data science ? network science ? information policy ? information economics ? information work and workers ? user experience and design ? information systems ? computer-supported cooperative work ? bibliometrics and scholarly communication ? social, cultural, health and community informatics ? information and communication technology for development Gary M. Olson Dept of Informatics Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences UC, Irvine 949-824-0077 / gary.olson(a)uci.edu **************************************************************** 10. Scientific Discovery in the Social Sciences, papers due 1 oct 14 http://homepages.stca.herts.ac.uk/~comqpcl Conference on Scientific Discovery in the Social Sciences, London School of Economics, London, UK, January 30-31 2015 Abstracts for paper and poster presentations are invited. Submission deadline is 1 Oct 2014. TOPICS OF INTEREST This interdisciplinary conference explores issues arising from scientific discovery in the social sciences. Keynote talks will be given by speakers from philosophy, psychology and computer science. Submissions are invited from a range of disciplines including the behavioural and social sciences, computer science, philosophy and statistics. Papers and posters covering all relevant techniques and approaches within this broad area are welcome. It is hoped that selected papers will appear in extended form as an edited volume. Examples of suitable topics are: - Computational methods for extracting information from data, including pattern recognition, with applications to scientific discovery in social science - Novel methods for automating the generation and refinement of social science theories and models - Computational simulation of and assistance with aspects of scientific discovery in social science such as induction, insight, creativity and theory formation - The extent to which computational methods of theory development challenge the idea that the construction of social science theories is an exclusively human activity - The degree to which methods of scientific discovery in social science suggest new philosophical perspectives about the difference between social and natural science, and the distinguishing characteristics of social science - Philosophical relationships in social science between scientific discovery, causation, explanation, inference and probability - The extent to which scientific discovery contributes to the interpretation and application of complex models in social science including the identification of model error - Experiments or case study analyses shedding light on the psychological mechanisms underpinning scientific discovery - Analyses reflecting on the history and sociology of scientific discovery HOW TO SUBMIT Submissions should be abstracts of up to 500 words. Please send your paper by email to: sdss(a)generating-theories.peterlane.info, no later than 23.59 GMT on Wednesday 1 October 2014. IMPORTANT DATES 1 Oct 2014: Deadline for submission of papers 1 Nov 2014: Notification of acceptance 30-31 January 2015: Conference ADDITIONAL INFORMATION If your abstract is accepted, at least 1 author must register and attend the conference. It is hoped that selected authors will be invited to submit full papers for an edited volume. Conference website: http://generating-theories.peterlane.info/sdss.html All queries to: sdss(a)generating-theories.peterlane.info PROGRAMME COMMITTEE Prof. Mark Addis, Birmingham City U. Prof. Fernand Gobet, Liverpool U. Dr. Peter Lane, U. of Hertfordshire Dr. Peter Sozou, Liverpool U. **************************************************************** 11. Call for Papers: IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine (CIM) Special Issue: "Computational Intelligence for Changing Environments" http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/~ahu/IEEE-CIM-CICE2015.pdf Call for Papers: IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine (CIM) (http://cis.ieee.org/ieee-computational-intelligence-magazine.html) Special Issue on "Computational Intelligence for Changing Environments" (Submission Deadline: 15 Nov 2014) (http://www.cs.stir.ac.uk/~ahu/IEEE-CIM-CICE2015.pdf) Guest Editors: Amir Hussain, Dacheng Tao, Jonathan Wu and Dongbin Zhao Aims and Scope: Over the past decade or so, computational intelligence techniques have been highly successful for solving big data challenges in changing environments. In particular, there has been growing interest in so called biologically inspired learning (BIL), which refers to a wide range of learning techniques, motivated by biology, that try to mimic specific biological functions or behaviors. Examples include the hierarchy of the brain neocortex and neural circuits, which have resulted in biologically-inspired features for encoding, deep neural networks for classification, and spiking neural networks for general modelling. To ensure these models are generalizable to unseen data, it is common to assume that the training and test data are independently sampled from an identical distribution, known as the sample i.i.d. assumption. In dynamic and non-stationary environments, the distribution of data changes over time, resulting in the phenomenon of 'concept drift' (also known as population drift or concept shift), which is a generalization of covariance shift in statistics. Over the last five years, transfer learning and multitask learning have been used to tackle this problem. Fundamental analyses using probably approximately correct (PAC) and Rademacher complexity frameworks have explained why appropriate incorporation of context and concept drift can improve generalizability in changing environments. It is possible to use human-level processing power to tackle concept drift in changing environments. Concept drift is a real-world problem, usually associated with online and concept learning, where the relationships between input data and target variables dynamically change over time. Traditional learning schemes do not adequately address this issue, either because they are offline or because they avoid dynamic learning. However, BIL seems to possess properties that would be helpful for solving concept drift problems in changing environments. Intuitively, the human capacity to deal with concept drift is innate to cognitive processes, and the learning problems susceptible to concept drift seem to share some of the dynamic demands placed on plastic neural areas in the brain. Using improved biological models in neural networks can provide insight into cognitive computational phenomena. However, a main outstanding issue in using computational intelligence for changing environments and domain adaptation is how to build complex networks, or how networks should be connected to the features, samples, and distribution drifts. Manual design and building of these networks are beyond current human capabilities. Recently, computational intelligence methods has been used to address concept drift in changing environments, with promising results. A Hebbian learning model has been used to handle random, as well as correlated, concept drift. Neural networks have been used for concept drift detection, and the influence of latent variables on concept drift in a neural network has been studied. In another study, a timing-dependent synapse model has been applied to concept drift. These works mainly apply biologically-plausible computational models to concept drift problems. Although these results are still in their infancy, they open up new possibilities to achieve brain-like intelligence for solving concept drift problems in changing environments. Taking the current state of research in computational intelligence for changing environments into account, the objective of this special issue is to collate this research to help unify the concepts and terminology of computational intelligence in changing environments, and to survey state-of-the-art computational intelligence methodologies and the key techniques investigated to date. Therefore, this special issue invites submissions on the most recent developments in computational intelligence for changing environments algorithms and architectures, theoretical foundations, and representations, & their application to real world problems. We also welcome timely surveys & review papers. Topics of Interest include (but are not limited to): ? Computational intelligence methodologies and implementation for changing environments ? Transfer learning, Multitask learning, Domain adaption ? Incremental Learning architectures, Unsupervised and semi-supervised learning architectures ? Incremental Knowledge augmentation, Representation learning and disentangling ? Incremental Adaptive Neuro-fuzzy systems ? Incremental and single-pass data mining ? Incremental Neural Clustering & Regression ? Incremental Adaptive decision systems ? Incremental Feature selection and reduction ? Incremental Constructive Learning ? Novelty detection in Incremental learning Submission Process The maximum length for the manuscript is typically 25 pages in single column format with double-spacing, including figures and references. Authors should specify in the first page of their manuscripts the corresponding author's contact and up to 5 keywords. Submission should be made via: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ieee-cim-cice2015 Important Dates (for August 2015 Issue) 15 Nov 2014: Submission of Manuscripts 15 Jan 2015: Notification of Review Results 15 Feb 2015: Submission of Revised Manuscripts 15 Mar 2015: Submission of Final Manuscripts Guest Editors Prof Amir Hussain ahu(a)cs.stir.ac.uk http://cs.stir.ac.uk/~ahu/ U of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland UK Prof Dacheng Tao U. of Technology, Sydney dacheng.tao(a)uts.edu.au Prof Jonathan Wu U of Windsor, Canada jwu(a)uwindsor.ca Prof Dongbin Zhao dongbin.zhao(a)gmail.com Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences **************************************************************** 12. CALL FOR PROPOSALS: AISB Workshop Series http://aisb.org.uk/media/files/AISBWorkshops.pdf The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour (AISB) is the largest Artificial Intelligence Society in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1964, the society has an international membership drawn from both academia and industry and is a member of the European Coordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence. Since September 2012, the AISB has been hosting a series of one or two day workshops across the country. The 5th workshop will take place at the U of Birmingham between 18th - 19th August 2014, with the theme "Figurative language: its patterns and meanings in domain-specific discourse". A number of publications have already arisen from these events, the most recent of which was a Symposium Issue of of the Journal of Consciousness Studies. If you are interested in hosting one of these events, you will find information on what you will need to do on this page: http://www.aisb.org.uk/events/members-workshop-series Please note that the events are abstract-only and free for all AISB members. Light refreshments are funded by the AISB. Current non-members would be able to host or attend these any of these workshops for the cost of AISB membership (which start at ?15 for concessionary fees and ?40 for UK members per year). The first two workshops were both held at Goldsmiths, the third was hosted at St Mary's U, while the most recent workshop was held in Bournemouth U. Further information about these previous events can be found on the AISB workshop pages listed above. To propose a workshop, you will need to complete a brief application with the following details: 1. Workshop title 2. Workshop abstract (200-400 words approx.) 3. Organiser(s) and main contact (include details of expertise in proposed topic) 4. Host Institution details (name, address) 5. Planned dates for event (please also include proposed deadlines for the following): Abstract Submission, Notification of Decision, Registration, Workshop 6.Possible speakers (e.g. do you plan to invite speakers?) 7.Where you would advertise (e.g. could you create a page on your institution website?) Details for hosting the workshops: http://aisb.org.uk/media/files/AISBWorkshops.pdf For more information, or to submit an application, please contact me directly at the following address (by removing the gaps): yj.erden @ smuc.ac.uk **************************************************************** 13. AI Career Network Conference during AAAI-15 in Jan 2015 http://sigai.acm.org/cnc/cfp.html, due: 6 Oct 2014 SIGAI, ACM's Special Interest Group in Artificial Intelligence, is launching its Early Career Network with a Career Network Conference in Austin during AAAI-15 in January. Details are at http://sigai.acm.org/cnc/cfp.html Preliminary Call for Abstracts and Participation ACM's Special Interest Group in AI (SIGAI) announces the launch of the SIGAI Career Network Conference (SIGAI CNC), a meeting that supports early-career scientists in their transition to independent research in academia, industry, or government. Participation is open to (and encouraged from!) researchers in AI, including vision, robotics, NLP, learning, etc. CNC will include: Research presentations from early career researchers to potential mentors and employers A career fair that showcases diverse career opportunities in academia, government, the non-profit sector, and industry Mentoring opportunities in small groups Brokered events that match researcher interests and expertise with career paths and potential employers The first SIGAI Career Network Conference will be held in Austin, TX, on 26 Jan 2015 the day before the start of the AAAI main conference, also in Austin. SIGAI CNC will be complemented by a Career Network website that serves as a community for support, information sharing, and networking among early-career AI researchers. One of the goals of the conference and the website is to coordinate the job matching process and improve the flow of information in the broader AI job market. Therefore, the website will provide facilities for both job seekers and potential employers, including the ability to view each others' profiles both before and after the conference. Attendees on both sides of the market are encouraged to reach out to each other both before the conference as well as after learning about each other during the conference. Call for abstracts and applications from students and postdocs (Deadline: 6 Oct 14) We welcome submissions from both PhD students who will complete their dissertations in Spring or Summer 2015 as well as postdocs who defended their dissertations in 2010 or later. In order to apply, please submit: An abstract (similar to a research statement) of up to three pages plus one page of references (see formatting instructions available on the website). A short description of your career interests and aspirations. An up-to-date academic CV. A letter of recommendation from your PhD or postdoctoral advisor. If accepted, only the abstract will be published in the proceedings. Detailed submission instructions will be available at sigai.acm.org/cnc/submit Your research abstract should be a description of the main thrust of your research, not a single paper. It should reference your publications and working papers, and put your research in context for a broad AI audience. We welcome submissions from any topic relevant to artificial intelligence, broadly defined. This includes, but is not limited to: Machine Learning Multi-Agent Systems Planning and Scheduling Robotics Interface of AI and Economics AI and the Web Natural Language Processing Computer Vision Interface of AI and Cognitive Science Knowledge Representation and Reasoning Search, Constraint Satisfaction, and Optimization In particular, we would like to emphasize that one of the goals of CNC is to bring together researchers from all areas of AI, including those who consider a conference other than AAAI or IJCAI their primary outlet. Call for job opening presentations Organizations (academic, government, industry) who seek to hire AI researchers may apply to advertise specific job openings and career paths at their institution. Selected organizations will also be invited to give a lightning talk at the conference. Booths will be available for organizations to advertise and interact with conference participants. The SIGAI Career Network site will also make the job opportunities listings and other materials available online. Call for participation We encourage anyone who wants to learn about research at the cutting edge of AI, as well as representatives of academic departments, companies, government agencies, and others interested in recruiting PhD level researchers, to join us at CNC. We also strongly encourage current students and postdocs who plan to be on the job market in future years to attend in order to learn about potential career paths and network with employers. Our collocation with AAAI makes this meeting both economical and convenient. Applications for travel support SIGAI will provide travel support for a significant number of participants with accepted abstracts. Requests for travel support should be included with the research abstract submission. Organizations (academic, government, industry) who seek to hire AI researchers may apply to advertise specific job openings and career paths at their institution. Selected organizations will also be invited to give a lightning talk at the conference. Booths will be available for organizations to advertise and interact with conference participants. **************************************************************** 14. Henry Rutgers Term Chair in Computer and Data Science (due 1 nov 14) Rutgers University - Newark (RU-N) seeks outstanding candidates to serve as Henry Rutgers Term Chair in Computer and Data Science, with a specific focus on computational methods in machine learning, or statistical modeling of complex data sets in the sciences, engineering, business, or medical fields. Recruitment is at the associate professor level; however, exceptional candidates qualifying for the full professor rank may be considered. This recruitment is part of the Rutgers U Strategic Plan to strengthen Rutgers leadership in burgeoning fields, and part of the new transdisciplinary research Institute for Data Science, Learning, and Applications (I-DSLA). I-DSLA brings together computer scientists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, and domain experts in neuroscience, environmental science, chemistry, medicine, business, and other professions. The new hire will be poised to leverage these experts as well as a new high performance computing cluster on the RU-N campus, to advance knowledge about learning from data. Applicants should hold a PhD in CS, Computational Statistics, or a related field and have a record of excellent scholarship, as demonstrated by significant publications and funding. They should be open to collaborative research within the RU-N community and will be expected to help build a group of faculty in areas related to I-DSLA, maintain an active externally-funded research program, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and mentor PhD students. Applicants should apply no later than 1 Nov 2014. To receive detailed instructions on how to apply, please email hrsearch(a)rutgers.edu with the subject line 'How to apply'. --- Bart Krekelberg, PhD bart(a)vision.rutgers.edu Associate Director, Center for Molecular and Behavioral and Neuroscience Associate Director, Rutgers Brain Imaging Center Associate Prof, Rutgers U Newark, NJ (973) 353-3602 http://vision.rutgers.edu **************************************************************** 15. Full Professor of Applied CS (Ubiquitous Computing), Vienna U. of Tech. http://www.informatik.tuwien.ac.at (due 20 oct 14) Full Professor of Applied Computer Science (Ubiquitous Computing) Vienna U. of Technology The Vienna U. of Technology invites applications for a Full Professor position at the Faculty of Informatics. The open position is affiliated to the Institute of Design and Assessment of Technology. The successful candidate will have an outstanding research record in the field of Ubiquitous Computing and focuses on next generation ubiquitous computing systems and their application in authentic real world settings. Particular research topics of interest include sensor-rich environments; interactive and smart spaces; new interaction paradigms; Internet of Things; mobile and context-aware computing; awareness and privacy; and tangible, situated and embodied interaction. Besides research, the duties of a full professor at the Vienna U of Technology include graduate and undergraduate teaching (in English or German) as well as contributing to usual management and faculty service tasks. The Vienna U of Technology announces a tenured Full Professor position. The appointment will follow a two step procedure: The initial appointment will be for 5 years. The appointment will then be made permanent following a positive evaluation not earlier than the third year. The Vienna U of Technology is among the most successful technical universities in Europe, and is Austria's largest scientific-technical research and educational institution. The Faculty of Informatics, one of the eight faculties at the Vienna U of Technology, has an excellent reputation and plays an active role in national and international research. The main areas of research include Computational Intelligence, Computer Engineering, Distributed and Parallel Systems, Media Informatics and Visual Computing, as well as Business Informatics. Applicants are expected to have the following qualifications: Essential - PhD or doctoral degree. - Post-doctoral experience at a university or other research institution. - An outstanding research and publication record. - An excellent reputation as an active member of the international scientific community. - Teaching skills. Desirable - Experience in raising funds and in managing scientific research projects. - Leadership abilities. - Experience in university teaching. THE FACULTY OF INFORMATICS OFFERS - Excellent working conditions in an attractive research environment. - An attractive salary, including additional contributions to a pension fund. - Additional financial research support during the first few years (equipment etc.). - Support for relocating to Vienna. - A position in a city with an exceptional quality of life (e.g. ranked #1 in the Mercer Quality of Living Survey 2014) GENERAL INFORMATION For information about - the Faculty of Informatics, go to: http://www.informatik.tuwien.ac.at - the 5 main research areas of the Faculty of Informatics, go to: http://www.informatik.tuwien.ac.at/research - the Vienna U of Technology, go to: http://www.tuwien.ac.at - the Institute of Design and Assessment of Technologies http://www.informatik.tuwien.ac.at/faculty/institutes/e187 APPLICATION The Vienna U of Technology is committed to increasing female employment in leading scientific positions. Female applicants are explicitly encouraged to apply. Preference will be given when equally qualified. People with special needs are equally encouraged to apply. Applications have to include - A detailed curriculum vitae. - A list of publications. - Copies of the applicant's five most important publications related to the position together with an explanation of their relevance. - A positioning statement, describing the applicant's vision 1) on the interplay between use, real world application, technology and theory; 2) on how to position and advance the field within the Faculty of Informatics in the areas of research and teaching, in particular in connection with the 5 main research areas of the Faculty of Informatics. The actual salary will be agreed between the successful applicant and the university, commensurate with qualifications and relevant experience. In accordance with the Austrian Collective Agreement for U Staff full professors receive a minimum salary of currently EUR 65.8k pa. Applications (in English) should be sent to the Dean of the Faculty of Informatics, Prof. Dr. Gerald Steinhardt, in digital form (a single pdf file to: dekan(a)informatik.tuwien.ac.at) Deadline: 20 Oct 14. **************************************************************** 16. Tenure Track Asst. Prof of Cog Psy, UC/Riverside (due 10 oct 14) https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/apply/JPF00159 The Department of Psychology, UC/Riverside, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Cognitive Psychology, beginning July 1, 2015. We seek applicants whose research examines language learning, at any time scale, and/or bilingualism. The ideal candidate will contribute to our emerging emphasis in experience- dependent change. Applicants should demonstrate a record of research excellence using methodological approaches involving human behavior, neuroimaging, and/or computational modeling. Applicants should be committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. The PhD degree is required at time of hire. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience. Review of completed applications begins 10 Oct 2014 and continues until the position is filled. Interested candidates should send a cover letter describing research and teaching interests, their curriculum vitae, reprints and preprints, and arrange to have three letters of recommendation provided, all using the following link: https://aprecruit.ucr.edu/apply/JPF00159. Questions about the position should be directed to Professor Christine Chiarello, Chair, Cognitive Area Search Committee, at christine.chiarello(a)ucr.edu. The Riverside campus of the U of California is growing rapidly and has an excellent psychology department with a strong record of success in research, teaching and extramural funding. For information on the Department of Psychology, see our web site at: http://www.psych.ucr.edu. The campus is centrally located in Southern California, about 50 miles east of Los Angeles and less than an hour's drive from the area's mountains, deserts and beaches. ---- Aaron Seitz, PhD Professor Dept. of Psy (951) 827-6422 aseitz(a)ucr.edu UC/Riverside Riverside, CA http://faculty.ucr.edu/~aseitz/ **************************************************************** 17. Faculty Position in Computational Neuroscience at UC/Irvine (due 15 Nov 14) https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF02452 UC/Irvine Faculty Position in Computational Neuroscience The Department of Cognitive Sciences (www.cogsci.uci.edu) at the UC/Irvine (UCI) invites applications for a faculty position at the Associate or Full Professor level. We are especially interested in candidates who use mathematical, computational, or robotics approaches to study the neural basis of cognition in any of these areas: (1) vision, hearing, and attention; (2) memory and decision-making; (3) learning and development; (4) language. Applicants whose research relates to human behavior are preferred. A strong record of publications and extramural funding is essential. Exceptional candidates at the Assistant Professor level will also be considered. The online application includes: A cover letter, CV, research and teaching statements, 3 recent publications, and contact information for 3-5 referees. Interested candidates can apply for the position at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF02452. To ensure full consideration, please complete the application by 15 Nov 2014. ---- Best regards, Jeff Krichmar jkrichma(a)uci.edu Dept. of Cognitive Sciences UC/Irvine http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma **************************************************************** 18. Research Lectureship in HCI, U. of St Andrews, Scotland (due 3 Oct 14) http://bit.ly/sachi_lectureship https://www.vacancies.st-andrews.ac.uk/ViewVacancy.aspx?enc=mEgrBL4XQK0+ld8… We seek a colleague to join SACHI (http://sachi.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/) at the School of Computer Science, U of St Andrews. This is a full academic career track position, with research and teaching duties. The School of Computer Science provides a research-supportive environment, excellent facilities, great opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, integration with the larger excellence network of CS research in Scotland (SICSA), and access to the brightest students in the UK and internationally. This year the School was ranked 1st in the UK by the Guardian's University guide. We are interested in top early career researchers in any of the topics below (although we will consider top-researchers in other areas related to HCI and Data Science): - Input and Interaction methods - Information Visualisation or other techniques relevant to Data Science (e.g. machine learning) - Ubiquitous Computing or Systems - Digital Humanities Join one of the top CS departments in the UK, and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. The University is integrated within the town of St Andrews on the East coast of Scotland: home of golf, and rich in history. The town offers a family-friendly environment at just over an hour from Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, and with easy access to all services and good public transport connections. See more information in the official vacancy announcement: http://bit.ly/sachi_lectureship (the Further Particulars document at the bottom will be particularly useful). For informal inquiries and questions, feel free to also e-mail Prof. Aaron Quigley (aquigley(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) or Miguel Nacenta (mans(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) Miguel Nacenta Lecturer, U of St Andrews mans(a)st-andrews.ac.uk http://nacenta.com @miguelnacenta **************************************************************** 19. Lecturer in HCI, U. of Birmingham (UK), Closes 5 Oct 14 http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AJJ517/lecturer-in-human-computer-interaction-hci/ Lecturer in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) School of Computer Science U of Birmingham - College of Engineering and Physical Sciences Location: Birmingham Salary: ?38,511 to ?45,954 with potential progression once in post to ?51k pa. Placed on: 12 Aug 14 Closes: 5 Oct 14 Job Ref:52252 The U of Birmingham has made a strategic investment in the area of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). A centre for HCI has recently been created, and now contains leading academics undertaking a wide range of research into HCI theories and applications. The successful applicant will become a key member of the HCI Research Centre. The vision for the Centre is based on a people-centred perspective on interaction and technology: it attempts to understand and create the future that we will inhabit and interact with digitally. Our approach to HCI is based on a rigorous scientific quantitative approach coupled with experimental validation. The role also offers a 2.5 year window to allow the post holder to focus on their research, with a reduced teaching load. It therefore offers an outstanding opportunity for leading international quality researchers to accelerate their research activity. After these 2.5 years, the candidate will transition to a standard lectureship and teaching load. Applicants should have an outstanding track record of international quality research in human-computer interaction. The ideal candidates will have a PhD in a discipline relevant to HCI, and will be able to demonstrate a multi-disciplinary approach to their research. They should be able to demonstrate an excellent and accelerating record of publications in journals and conferences, engagement with the HCI community nationally and internationally, and the ability to attract grant funding. We are also interested in nurturing and developing future stars who may not yet have established their reputation. Applicants who have recently achieved their PhD may also be considered, though a substantial publication record will still be required. Research areas that match, or strongly relate to, the areas identified in the job description are preferred, though we are willing to consider any recognised area of HCI. Informal enquiries may be made to Professor Russell Beale (R.Beale(a)cs.bham.ac.uk) +44 (0) 121 414 3729. Come and join us! - Russell Beale, Andrew Howes, Alan Dix, Chris Baber, Mirco Musolesi, Bob Hendley and all the researchers and PhDs in the HCI Centre. **************************************************************** 20. Faculty position in system dynamics, MIT Sloan School of Management https://sloanfacultysearches.mit.edu/sd/ The MIT Sloan School of Management invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in system dynamics, to begin July 2015 (or thereafter). Candidates should have excellent knowledge of the system dynamics simulation technique and/or related modeling methodologies, such as nonlinear dynamics, control theory, computer simulation or agent-based modeling, as well as research interests relevant to the management and/or behavioral sciences. Duties will include research and teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels. System dynamics at Sloan is closely affiliated with both the management sciences and organization studies. Applicants whose substantive research interests are interdisciplinary are particularly invited to apply, including applicants whose research involves the social and behavioral sciences. We especially want to identify qualified female and minority candidates for consideration in this position. Applicants should possess or be close to completion of a PhD in system dynamics or a relevant field by the start date of employment. Applicants must submit: 1) an up-to-date CV; 2) up to three representative publications; 3) a brief statement of objectives and aspirations in research and education; 4) an official graduate transcript; 5) information about teaching experience and performance evaluations; and 6) three letters of recommendation by 21 Oct 14. Submissions must be submitted via https://sloanfacultysearches.mit.edu/sd/ **************************************************************** 21. Asst. Prof - Embodied Cognitive Science, Cog Sci Program, Indiana https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/1006 (due 1 nov 14) The Cognitive Science Program at Indiana U seeks a tenure track junior level appointment in the area of embodied cognitive science. Successful applicants will take a leadership role in the ongoing development of embodied cognition as a research and teaching focus of the program. Indiana U has a strong history in this area, ranging from theoretical foundations to computational and robotics modeling, to experimental approaches in developmental psychology and neuroscience. Although the emphasis of the position is on computational and/or robotic modeling approaches to problems in embodied cognition, candidates are expected to engage with the breadth of experimental programs and philosophical discussion that make up this interdisciplinary research area. Applicants should have a PhD in Cognitive Science, Computer Science or a closely related field and will join the faculty of a department or school on the Bloomington campus appropriate to their specific background. Applicants are expected to have a record that demonstrates an excellent potential in the areas of research and teaching. Interested candidates should review the application requirements and submit their applications at https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/1006. Questions regarding the position or application process can be directed to Randall Beer, Cognitive Science Search Committee, 819 Eigenmann, 1900 E. 10th St., Indiana U, Bloomington, IN 47406-7512 orcogsrch(a)indiana.edu. Review of applications will begin on 1 Nov 14 and will continue until the position is filled. Information about the program and the university is available at http://www.cogs.indiana.edu/. -- Olaf Sporns -- @spornslab Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Programs in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Indiana U Bloomington, IN 47405 **************************************************************** 22. Open Rank Faculty Position, Indiana, School of Informatics & Computing http://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/971 due 1 Dec 2014 [I think these are different jobs, both at Indiana U.] Indiana U School of Informatics and Computing Bloomington Open Rank Faculty Position The School of Informatics and Computing at Indiana U, Bloomington, invites applications for a position beginning in Fall 2015 in the Department of Information and Library Science (all subareas). This position is open at all levels (assistant, associate, or full professor). Applications from senior leaders are especially encouraged. The Department of Information and Library Science (ILS), formerly the School of Library and Information Science, has a long, successful history, having graduated over 8,000 students since it opened its doors in 1946. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Bloomington Information and Library Science program http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top… eighth nationally. The School of Informatics and Computing is the first of its kind and among the largest in the country, with unsurpassed breadth. Its mission is to excel and lead in education, research, and outreach spanning and integrating computing and information technologies. In addition to ILS, the School includes the Department of Computer Science and Informatics and has a total of over 85 faculty, 900 graduate students, and 1,100 undergraduate majors on the Bloomington campus. Faculty research areas include bibliometrics; big data; computer-mediated communication; data science; digital libraries; information organization, retrieval, and visualization; science studies; semantic web, social informatics; text mining; web science; and more. Graduate degrees offered in the School include Master's degrees in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction Design, Information Science, Library Science, and Security Informatics, and PhD degrees in Computer Science, Informatics, and Information Science. The School is also known for its strong undergraduate programs. Basic qualifications: Applicants should have a PhD in a relevant area (or for junior level, expected before Aug 2015) and an established record (senior level) or demonstrable potential for excellence in research and teaching (junior level). Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching, and names of three references (junior level), or six references (senior level) using the University's online system below (preferred): http://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/971 or to Faculty Search, SoIC, 919 E 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47408. For full consideration, completed applications must be received by 1 Dec 2014. Informal and confidential inquiries may be sent to the ILS Chair, Pnina Fichman, fichman(a)indiana.edu) or to any of the members of the search committee: Katy Borner (katy(a)indiana.edu) Susan Herring (herring(a)indiana.edu) Howard Rosenbaum (hrosenbau(a)indiana.edu) To: CHI-JOBS(a)LISTSERV.ACM.ORG **************************************************************** 23. Full Prof for Applied Cog Psych, U of Ulm (due: 3 Oct 2014) The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science is seeking a Full Professor for Applied Cognitive Psychology (W3 mit Leitungsfunktion) for an immediate start. The successful candidate is expected to represent the field of applied cognitive psychology through research and teaching. This topic is closely connected to other themes currently present at the university and will help to further strengthen the interdisciplinary nature and applied orientation of the Institute of Psychology and Education within the Faculty of Engineering, Computer Science and Psychology. The candidate should have a profound research history concerning human information- processing aspects (attention, decision making, planning, deductive reasoning) in the context of human-technology interaction using an experimental and quantitative research approach. He or she should further be open to incorporating cognitive modelling in her or his empirical research and thus support the interdisciplinary research topic of the faculty "cognitive systems and human-machine interaction". Possibilities for cooperation are especially foreseen with the SFB/Transregio 62 project "a companion-technology for cognitive technical systems" or the research cluster for cooperative, highly-automated driver assistance and driving functions (f3) - both are located within the faculty. Teaching shall cover the whole range of Applied Cognitive Psychology topics and provide links to other disciplines, especially computer science. Contribution to the international and English study program "cognitive systems" (master level) is central for this position. Requirements We are looking for candidates who meet the following requirements: * A publication record in international peer reviewed journals, * Experience in successfully applying for funding (industrially sponsored projects as well as research grants), * Interest in promoting and further developing the study programs in psychology (bachelor- and master level) and cognitive systems and contribution to related university administrative processes. Conditions for appointment are a completed course of studies at a university, pedagogical aptitude, doctorate and additional academic achievements (? 47 LHG). The U of Ulm is committed to increase the share of women in research and teaching positions and therefore explicitly encourages female candidates to apply. You may apply for this position before 3 Oct 2014 by sending the usual documents all within one pdf-document via E-Mail to the faculty's dean: in.dekanat(a)uni-ulm.de. Please use the number 70 as the E-Mail subject line. Please also fill out and include the following questionnaire in your documents: http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/psy-paed/stellenangebote.html Physically disabled applicants receive favourable consideration when equally qualified. **************************************************************** 24. Faculty positions in Computer Science at American U http://apply.interfolio.com/25813 (due 3 Nov 2014) American U, College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Computer Science Computer Science (Assistant, Associate or Full Professor) The Department of Computer Science in the College of Arts and Sciences at American U in Washington, DC invites applications for up to 3 tenure-track or tenured Assistant/Associate/Full Professors to form a collaborating research team. We seek either a group of researchers who will be hired together, or a senior individual with a vision for filling the other positions. The team's research expertise may be in any area of computer science. Following the department's strong recent hires in the interdisciplinary areas of computational neuroscience and persuasive gaming, the university seeks to build computer science's core program areas, which may include algorithms and data structures, architecture, robotics, databases and information retrieval, human-computer interactions, numerical and symbolic computation, operating systems, programming languages, or software methodology and engineering. Preference will be given to teams or visions that contribute to more than one of the core program areas, and that contribute to the university's capacity in the area of big data. The Computer Science Department is currently in a period of expansion, and is poised to become a leader in the university's technology an innovation sectors. To support this trajectory, the department will soon be moving to a new building that is designed to promote inspiration, collaboration, creation and cultivation. QUALIFICATIONS All applicants should have a strong record of (or potential for) externally sponsored research. We are especially eager to recruit candidates with established research partnerships (or the ability to form such partnerships) in the Washington, DC area. Candidates should also have a record of excellence in teaching and mentoring students. Teaching responsibilities will include core courses in computer science and more advanced courses in the applicant's area of specialty. The PhD in Computer Science or a closely related field is required; post-doctoral or industry experience is preferred. At least one appointment will be at a senior level with tenure. Preference will be given to senior candidates who are able and willing to lead the department, including (but not limited to) the development of a PhD granting program. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Applicants should include a statement (a joint statement for team applications) of research outlining the research focus (or foci) and future plans for developing a nationally competitive, externally funded research program at American U. In addition to a (joint, if applicable) research statement, each applicant should include statements of individual research and teaching experience, a CV, and the names of three references not in the proposed team. Please submit applications via: http://apply.interfolio.com/25813. Review of applications will begin 3 Nov and continue until the position is filled. http://www.neuroinf.org/mailman/listinfo/comp-neuro From: Mark Laubach <mark.laubach(a)american.edu> **************************************************************** 25. Faculty Position in Comp Games & Virt Worlds @Concordia U. (due 1 dec 14) https://www.concordia.ca/encs/about/jobs/strategic-hire-computer-games-virt… Concordia U. Computer Science and Software Eng Tenure Track Position in Computer Games and Virtual Worlds The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science (ENCS) at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, invites applications for a tenure-track strategic hire position in the area of Computer Games and Virtual Worlds for appointment in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering (CSE). The CSE department has an active research group in 3D Graphics in addition to a highly popular Computer Games degree option at the undergraduate level. The goal of the strategic hire program is to augment existing research capacity in the department through high profile interdisciplinary research in collaboration with members of Concordia,s Technoculture, Art and Games Research Centre (TAG). The successful candidate will receive an attractive research support and teaching package. For additional information about ENCS, CSE and TAG see www.encs.concordia.ca, www.cse.concordia.ca and www.tag.hexagram.ca. Applicants must have a PhD in computer science, software engineering or computer engineering or a related area and also possess research and development expertise in the area of computer games, 3D graphics and virtual worlds. A successful candidate is expected to provide academic leadership, establish a strong externally funded research program, demonstrated abilities to work in collaborative multidisciplinary settings and teach/develop both undergraduate and graduate courses. Strong commitment to the supervision of graduate student research and to excellence in teaching are essential. Relevant industrial experience is an asset. Excellent communication skills are required. Membership or eligibility for membership in a Canadian professional engineering association, preferably in the province of Quebec, is required. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. Concordia is strongly committed to employment equity within its community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff. Applications should consist of a detailed curriculum vitae, a statement concerning teaching and research interests, and the names of at least three referees. This appointment is expected to commence in the summer of 2015. Review of the applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Only short-listed applicants will be notified. Electronic applications are preferred and should be sent no later than 1 Dec 2014 to: Dr. Sudhir Mudur, Chair Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering mudur(a)cse.concordia.ca **************************************************************** 26. NIH-Wide Stadtman Tenure-Track Recruitment (30 sep 2015, annual?) http://irp.nih.gov/careers/faculty-level-scientific-careers/stadtman-tenure… The National Institutes of Health is now accepting applications for tenure-track positions through the Earl Stadtman recruitment mechanism. Details are available here: http://irp.nih.gov/careers/faculty-level-scientific-careers/stadtman-tenure… Sean Davis <sdavis2(a)mail.nih.gov> **************************************************************** 27. Junior professorship to work in Germany, due 1 sep 14 and 1 sep 15? http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/skp_en [date has passed, but appears to be annual] Submit an application if you are a successful top-rank junior researcher from abroad, only completed your doctorate with distinction in the last six years, and have published work in prestigious international journals or publishing houses. The Sofja Kovalevskaja Award allows you to spend five years building up a working group and working on a high-profile, innovative research project of your own choice at a research institution of your own choice in Germany. Scientists and scholars from all disciplines may apply directly to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The Humboldt Foundation plans to grant up to eight Sofja Kovalevskaja Awards. The award is valued at up to 1.65 million EUR. The application submission deadline is 1 sep 14. The selection is scheduled for March 2015. ---- Dear Sir or Madam, With the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation is offering promising young researchers from all over the world attractive career prospects in Germany. Junior research talents of all disciplines from abroad are given the opportunity to establish working groups of their own at German research institutions. The Sofja Kovalevskaja Award recognises outstanding talent and creative research approaches with exceptional conditions: With an award amount of up to 1.65 million EUR each winner receives valuable starting capital to spend five years pursuing an innovative research project at a research institute of his or her choice - untroubled by administrative constraints. In addition, the establishment of their own junior research team enables the award winners to lay an important foundation for a promising academic career at a very early stage. Eight awards are expected to be granted. The programme is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Outstandingly qualified junior academics of all disciplines from abroad who completed their doctorate less than six years ago are eligible to apply for the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award. It is also possible to submit applications immediately after finishing one's doctoral studies. Applications must be submitted by 1 Sep 2014. We should be grateful if you could support us in looking for suitable international research talents by disseminating this announcement at your institution. Also, we should very much appreciate if you could request further colleagues to draw the attention of suitably talented junior researchers to this academic award. Details of the application procedure for the Sofja Kovalevskaja Award can be found on our website at: http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/skp_en . For individual questions, you are also welcome to contact info(a)avh.de. Thank you very much in advance for your support. Sincerely yours, Georg Scholl Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Department Strategy and External Relations Division Press, Communications and Marketing Head of division **************************************************************** 28. Post-doctoral fellow in computational cognitive modeling, Wright State http://jobs.wright.edu/postings/8101 (reviewed from 22 sep 14) The Department of Psychology at Wright State U seeks applicants for a position of Postdoctoral Fellow in computational cognitive modeling to begin on Oct 1st 2014 or soon thereafter. Candidates must have a PhD in Cognitive Science, Computer Science, or a related discipline with training in computational cognitive modeling. Candidates must be actively engaged in a research program that uses computational cognitive modeling as its core methodology. Preference will be given to candidates who are conversant in at least one of the major cognitive architectures (e.g., ACT-R, Soar, EPIC). The post-doctoral fellow will be involved in a research project funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research aiming to develop a comprehensive theory of trust dynamics. The fellow will be part of a research team including the Principal Investigator, Dr. Ion Juvina, graduate students, and researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Department of Psychology is housed in the College of Science and Mathematics, offers a PhD in Human Factors and I/O Psychology, and has 3 undergraduate concentration areas: (1) Cognition and Perception, (2) Industrial/ Organizational, and (3) Behavioral Neuroscience. Wright State U was recently ranked among the "Best in the Midwest" universities by The Princeton Review, listed among 260 Best National Universities in the annual "America's Best Colleges" rankings by U.S. News and World Report, and ranked fourth nationally among universities with limited numbers of doctoral programs in the Faculty Scholarly Productivity Index. For more information on this position contact Prof. Ion Juvina at ion.juvina(a)wright.edu. Applicants should visit the following link to upload CV and statement of research: http://jobs.wright.edu/postings/8101. In addition, please have three letters of reference sent directly to Ion Juvina, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, 313G Fawcett Hall, 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy, Wright State U, Dayton, OH 45435. Review of complete applications will begin 22 Sep 14, and continue until the position is filled. **************************************************************** 29. 3 year postdoc in London, modelling bee brains http://www.jobs.qmul.ac.uk/5111 (due 9 oct 14) We have a 3-year postdoc position (HFSP funded) to work on a project entitled: "A neural circuit approach to cognition and its limits in microbrains". The postdoctoral fellow will focus on building computational models of the bee visual system and higher-level brain centres. See here: http://www.jobs.qmul.ac.uk/5111 Informal inquiries can be sent to l.chittka(a)qmul.ac.uk Lars Chittka, PhD, MSc Professor in Sensory & Behavioural Ecology *44 (0) 20 7882 3043 School of Biological & Chemical Sciences Queen Mary, U of London, UK http://chittkalab.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/ **************************************************************** 30. Junior position in Cognitive Science research group at ETS (ongoing) [this process is fairly far along, but shows an application and ongoing location for cognitive modeling] I'm currently recruiting for a junior position in the Cognitive Science research group at ETS - someone about 0-2 years post-PhD. I'm particularly interested in folks with good cognitive task analysis and cognitive modeling skills, who are interested in issues of student learning and assessment. Programming skills, especially prototyping, are a strong plus. Please see the job description at http://bit.ly/ETS2014-Cognitive-Scientist for more information. Irvin R. Katz, PhD ikatz(a)ETS.ORG 609-734-5150 Director, Cognitive Sciences Group Educational Testing Service Princeton, NJ 08541 **************************************************************** 31. Research Scientist Computational Neuroscience Position in Toronto (due 19 Oct 14) The Toronto Western Research Institute of the University Health Network invites applicants to apply for a Scientist position in the area of Computational Neuroscience. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a relevant field, have research experience and expertise in mathematical and computational modeling techniques, and research interests that complement those of the Institute in "Degenerative Disorders of Aging". Candidates whose research interests encompass modeling at multiple levels (molecular, cellular, network, systems), and who have experimental and/or collaborative experimental experience are especially encouraged. The successful candidate will have the ability to establish an independent, well-funded program and will be eligible for appointment at the appropriate level within the U of Toronto. Applications must be emailed by 19 Oct 2014 and should include: 1) CV, 2) Statement of research interests, and 3) Contact information (including email) for 3 referees Reply, by email only, and in confidence to: TWRIrecruitment(a)uhnresearch.ca with subject line: CompNeuro University Health Network thanks all applicants, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. [this is a lamentable practice that appears to arise when resources are not available] Frances Skinner, PhD frances.skinner(a)gmail.com TWRI/UHN and Univ Toronto http://www.skinnerlab.org **************************************************************** 32. PhD position in computational modelling at Max Planck/Leipzig http://www.o-brain-project.de (until filled) The Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig and the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1052 "Obesity mechanisms" at the Leipzig U Hospital are offering a PhD studentship in computational modelling. Within the project, computational modelling is used to investigate leaning and decision-making in humans. The project is aimed at the multi-modal integration of available and newly acquired behavioral, structural/functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), PET and genetic data towards comprehensive computational and neurocognitive models of cognitive control over behavior. Work will be carried out at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig under the supervision of Dr Jane Neumann and Dr Annette Horstmann. Both Leipzig's long tradition in conducting neuroscientific research and the ultra-modern equipment at the Max Planck Institute provide an environment that offers new perspectives in neuroimaging research. Further, the position will be part of the CRCs Integrated Research Training Group. This graduate program offers interdisciplinary qualification in various research methods and transferable skills, and provides support in career planning and in establishing an own scientific network. Applicants should hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in one of the following disciplines: computational or cognitive neuroscience, computer science, maths, psychology, biology, cognitive science or related. Prior experience in the fields of computational neuroscience and/or neuroimaging are of great advantage. Sound knowledge of statistics and excellent programming skills are essential. A good command of written and spoken English is requested of all applicants. Please send your application as a single pdf-file to neumann(a)cbs.mpg.de referring to 'Modelling SFB 1052'. Complete applications include cover letter, CV, letter(s) of recommendation, and copies of university degrees and additional certificates. Informal enquiries should be made to Dr Jane Neumann (+49 (0) 341 99 40 26 21). For meeting Dr. Neumann and Dr. Horstmann at OHBM 2014, please send an email to neumann(a)cbs.mpg.de or horstmann(a)cbs.mpg.de including days and times when you are available during the conference. The salary is based on the German E 13 TV-L salary scale. In order to increase the proportion of female staff members, applications from female scientists are particularly encouraged. Disabled applicants are preferred if qualification is equal. Deadline for application: until position is filled Further details about the project can also be found at http://www.o-brain-project.de **************************************************************** 33. KTP associate post-doc in workload for rail control http://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=2328&forced=1 I would like to bring your attention to a post-doc position in workload modelling. This is a TSB KTP associate position, between the U of Nottingham and TRE (The Railway Engineering company). The post will be based in Bradford on Avon, near Bath. We are looking for post-docs with knowledge of cognitive psychology / human factors / HCI in a topic such as workload, SA, vigilance etc. and ideally with some experience of a control domain - it could be rail, but could be ATC, process control, power etc. If you are aware of people who have recently completed, or are in the process of finishing up, we would be happy to receive an application. I would also be happy to answer any informal queries. Further details and application process is available at http://jobs.nottingham.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?id=2328&forced=1. (NB the location is Bradford on Avon, not Nottingham as currently stated on the vacancy listing). Dr David Golightly CPsychol David.Golightly(a)nottingham.ac.uk Senior Researcher in Human Factors Human Factors Research Group Faculty of Engineering U of Nottingham, England ******************************************************** 34. Web Developer for Databrary.org [until filled] http://Databrary.org About Databrary Databrary is a first-of-its-kind web-based data library where scientists who collect and analyze video can store and share their data openly with other researchers. The project is based at New York University (NYU) and Penn State. It has grant support from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The overall goal is to accelerate the pace of discovery, improve scientific transparency and accountability, and transform research practices in psychology and developmental science. We are growing a team to design and build new open source solutions for science using the latest technologies. Web Developer position description The Databrary project seeks a motivated and flexible developer to help build a unique web-based data library. You will work with users and a small group of developers to design and build the front end UI and back end tools to enable behavioral researchers to collaborate, store, explore, and access research datasets in ways not possible with any existing tool. The ideal candidate will relish the challenge of building a uniquely powerful set of research tools while working on a small team in a diverse and intellectually stimulating academic environment. Responsibilities - Implement dynamic, modular, and responsive web interfaces to organize, present, and manipulate research materials. - Design, implement, test, and validate JavaScript across browsers and platforms. - Integrate feedback from UI experts and researchers (users) to identify and prioritize new features. - Learn, understand, and reorganize research data as needed for better integration with the site. Qualifications - Background in CS or other relevant field and 3+ years programming experience. - Knowledge of AngularJS or other modern web application frameworks. - Extensive experience with jQuery, JSON, HTML5, and CSS3. - Familiarity with standard UNIX development tools such as git. - Understanding of security and ethical concerns around sensitive data. Preferred - History of contributions to open source projects. - Comfortable with discussing and addressing UX/UI design issues. - Experience using RESTful interfaces for structured data. - Sensitive to performance considerations building big data interfaces. - Basic understanding of scientific practices and research tools, such as Matlab, SPSS, or R. To apply send the following to jobs(a)databrary.org: - One page cover letter (PDF). - Resume (PDF). - Links to your open source contributions or other samples of your work It will stay open until the position is filled. **************************************************************** 35. Cognitive Robotics Job, Army Res. Lab (until filled) We have an opportunity here to bring a new employee in to work directly on my Cognitive Robotics Program (SS-RICS) and with our network science team as a contractor here at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. We are looking for someone that has a strong C++, C# programming experience as well as a background in the use of cognitive architectures. The timeline is very tight. We are interviewing people over the next few weeks and will make a decision probably in the next month. This is a contractor position (DCS incorporated) and the job is located here at Aberdeen MD. The job is for a U.S. Citizen and requires a secret clearance. Already having a secret clearance would be a big plus. Troy D. Kelley Note new email: troy.d.kelley6.civ(a)mail.mil Cognitive Robotics and Modeling Team Leader Human Research and Engineering Directorate US Army Research Laboratory Aberdeen, MD Phone 410-278-5869 or 410-278-6748 **************************************************************** Footnote: all employment ads had diversity statements **************************************************************** -30-

1 0

Two postdoctoral/research associate positions in computational neuroscience at Drexel University College of Medicine.
by Ilya Rybak Sept. 30, 2014

Sept. 30, 2014

Two postdoctoral/research associate positions in computational neuroscience at Drexel University College of Medicine Two postdoctoral/research associate positions in computational neuroscience for the duration of up to three years are available at Drexel University College of Medicine (Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience Lab by Dr. Ilya A. Rybak) to participate in externally funded projects. One position is for computational modeling of neural control mechanisms, involving interactions between basal ganglia, thalamus, cerebellum, cortex and spinal cord in connection with simulation of pathological changes in motor control during Huntington’s disease. The other position involves modeling of spinal cord circuits, including the circuits of locomotor CPG, in close interactive collaboration with several world leading laboratories performing experimental studies in the isolated rodent spinal cord. Applicants must have a PhD degree in Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Neuroscience, or related discipline and have excellent C++ programming skills. Previous experience in computational modeling of biological neurons and neural networks is a plus. Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Rybak (rybak(a)drexel.edu) by email. To apply, please send an email along with (1) curriculum vitae; (2) a cover letter describing previous research experience and interests; (3) the names and names and contact information of three references. ================================= Ilya A. Rybak, Ph.D. Professor Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy Drexel University College of Medicine 2900 Queen Lane Philadelphia, PA 19129 USA Tel.: (215) 991-8596 FAX: (215) 843-9082 E-mail: rybak(a)drexel.edu http://neurobio.drexelmed.edu/rybakweb/rybak.html http://www.drexelmed.edu/Home/AboutOurFaculty/IlyaARybak.aspx https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ilya_Rybak/publications/ http://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=SnA068QAAAAJ http://www.pubfacts.com/author/Ilya+A+Rybak

1 0

Book on "modern methods of analysis in auditory cortex"
by Didier Depireux Sept. 30, 2014

Sept. 30, 2014

Dear colleagues, if you are interested in recently developed techniques to extract and analyze auditory cortical data, consider the book "Handbook of Modern Techniques in Auditory Cortex", D.A.Depireux & M.Elhilali, eds. It can be acquired via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Modern-Techniques-Auditory-Cortex/dp/1628088… or directly from the publisher at https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=45166 A host of new broadband methods have recently been developed in the study and modelling of the auditory pathway. These methods have allowed us to better understand how complex sounds are encoded along the auditory pathway in a noise-robust fashion, and the resulting cortical models have been used in a variety of problems, such speech recognition, speaker identification and noise reduction with great success. These techniques were developed and refined over the last 20 years, and as a result, the published literature offers a scattered, sometimes seemingly contradictory, account. This book is the first to present, in a single volume, the different broadband methods, their different philosophies, their relative advantages and disadvantages, and a methodology that will help the would-be-practitioner get started, navigate the literature, and chose the method most appropriate to her needs. Thank you, Didier Depireux & Mounya Elhilali Didier A Depireux depireux(a)gmail.com Inst. for Systems Research http://theearlab.org School of Engineering Ph: 410-925-6546 U Md College Park MD 20742 USA Adjunct, BioEngineering

1 0

Postdoc: Experimental Retinal Prosthetics lab, Tuebingen, Germany
by Daniel Rathbun Sept. 30, 2014

Sept. 30, 2014

Postdoc Advertisement: For visual prosthetics research through electrophysiological experiments in the retina. *Duration*: 22 months, starting around January 1 2015, with potential to continue through the end of the project in 2019. *Location*: scenic Tübingen, Germany *Supervisors*: Dr. Daniel L. Rathbun and Prof. Eberhart Zrenner – Experimental Retinal Prosthetics Group – Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University Eye Hospital *Project Description*: *SysRetPro* – Systems Neuroscience in Service of the Next-Generation Retinal Prosthesis. Our primary goal is to connect prosthesis-mediated visual responses in the blind mouse retina and normal visual responses in the healthy mouse retina through a unifying theoretical framework that encompasses both existing computational models and empirical data. The ultimate goal of this research program is to create innovations for human implants. The postdoc will be focused on data collection for the project. *Skills*: Strong background in experimental extracellular neurophysiology using either MEAs, tetrodes, or single electrodes - patch clamp a bonus. Extensive knowledge in vertebrate visual processing at the cellular, network, and systems level. Programming experience – preferably MATLAB Fluency in English, German fluency appreciated. An interest in computational modeling is preferred but not necessary. *Duties*: Experimental design within the framework of the project. Oversee and execute a program of experiments. Process and analyze MEA data corresponding to visual and electrical responses. Participate in the computational modeling of experimental data. Coordinate your activities with the PIs and bachelors, masters, and doctoral students. Active participation in development and writing of manuscripts from the lab. Work with Dr. Rathbun & Prof. Zrenner to secure funding to extend your position for the second phase of the 60-month project. *Contact*: daniel.rathbun(a)uni-tuebingen.de

1 0

Neuroinformatics, Computational Neuroscience PhD and MSc at Edinburgh
by Matthias Hennig Sept. 28, 2014

Sept. 28, 2014

PhD/MSc IN NEUROINFORMATICS, COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. We invite applications for the PhD and MSc programme in Neuroinformatics and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Edinburgh. The MSc programme is a one year course introducing key concepts and applications through courses and a research project. It serves as preparation for a PhD or work in industry for students from quantitative disciplines with little or no previous exposure to neuroscience. A wide range of courses are available, including computational neuroscience, bioinformatics, machine learning, robotics and computer vision. This programme is self-funded. The PhD is a 3 year funded programme with a strongly interdisciplinary character and is ideal for students who want to apply their computational and analytical skills to problems in neuroscience and related fields. Often PhD projects are done in collaboration with one of the many affiliated departments and institutes, which includes experimental neuroscience groups in Edinburgh and beyond. The programme it fully funded and provides a stipend and fees. The PhD programme includes the following themes, where Edinburgh has a strong research community: - computational and mathematical studies of neural information processing - spiking computation and neurorobotics - advanced experimental data analysis - neural simulation and modelling PhD applications can be prepared in conjunction with one of the PhD supervisors in these research areas: - Douglas Armstrong - James Bednar - Matthias Hennig - Michael Herrmann - Peggy Series - Mark van Rossum - Ian Simpson - Barbara Webb For more information on faculty, visit: http://www.anc.ed.ac.uk/neuroscience Examples of ongoing projects are listed here: http://www.anc.ed.ac.uk/dtc/index.php?option=com_projects&completed=0 Students with a strong background in either computer science, mathematics, physics or engineering are particularly welcome to apply. Motivated students with other backgrounds will also be considered. This programme cannot normally consider non-EU applicants unless own funding such as an external studentship is available. Edinburgh has been voted as 'best place to live in Britain', and has many exciting cultural and student activities. Recruitment is a rolling process that ends on 13 March 2015, but for full consideration apply by 12 December 2014. To apply, visit: http://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees?r=site/view&id=489&cw_xml= -- The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with registration number SC005336.

1 0

Postdoc: color neurophysiology, modeling and visual prosthesis, SUNY, New York City
by Youping Xiao Sept. 27, 2014

Sept. 27, 2014

1 0

Want to build a fly brain?
by Aurel A. Lazar Sept. 27, 2014

Sept. 27, 2014

Join us in an open-source collaborative effort aimed at (i) building in silico fruit fly brain circuits, and (ii) in vivo validation of these circuits. Neurokernel: An open source platform for emulating fruit fly brains on GPUs http://neurokernel.github.io Neurokernel Requests for Comments (RFCs): http://neurokernel.github.io/docs.html Aurel A. Lazar http://www.bionet.ee.columbia.edu

1 0

December10-13th : Workshop and Course on "Neural Information Dynamics, Causality and Computation close to Criticality"
by Michael Wibral Sept. 26, 2014

Sept. 26, 2014

Dear colleagues, please find below an invitation to a joint workshop by LOEWE-NeFF and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS). Best Regards, Michael Wibral Matthias Kaschube ----------------------- LOEWE-NeFF and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) jointly invite you to a “Workshop on Neural Information Dynamics, Causality and Computation near Criticality” December 12-13th, 2014 The workshop is preceded by a “Software course on Neural Information Dynamics with TRENTOOL, the Java Information Dynamics Toolkit and MuTE” December 10-11th, 2014 Venue: Workshop and student course will be held at the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS, www.fias.uni-frankfurt.de) Ruth-Moufang-Straße 1, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany The workshop addresses the analysis of neural computation in large neural systems and covers three tightly related topics in the field of modern analysis of neural data: Causality The analysis of causal interactions yields important insights into the biophysical substrate of neural dynamics that enable emergent computation. It is one of the goals of the workshop to discuss the link between causal analysis and the analyses of information processing proper, in order to clarify the dividing line and the mutual benefit of these two types of analyses. Neural information dynamics Information theoretic quantities separate and measure key elements of distributed computation in neural systems, such as the storage, transfer, and modification of information. These concepts can help to better understand the computational algorithms implemented by the dynamics of a neural system, providing the link between these algorithms and their biophysical implementation. Large scale organisation and criticality Neural systems orchestrate the activity of a large number of interacting neurons to achieve their computational capabilities. Recent advances in recording technology make it possible to reveal the activity patterns of hundreds of neurons distributed across the brain. This offers the unique opportunity to identify the large-scale organising principles of neural activity, such as operation near a critical point, that support computation in the system. Confirmed speakers: Adam Barrett Demian Battaglia Sakyasingha Dasgupta Luca Faes Esther Florin Moritz Grosse-Wentrup Andreea Lazar Anna Levina Daniele Marinazzo Oliver Obst Gordon Pipa Alberto Porta Viola Priesemann Karin Schiecke Raul Vicente The supporting software course addresses young scientists who intend to apply information theoretic measures for neuroscience hands on, and that would like to contribute code to one of the open source toolboxes on the topic. Some minimal experience with MATLAB or GNU-Octave is necessary for participation. Some prior knowledge in information theory is a plus. Applications for the student course should include a brief statement of motivation. Student course faculty: Alessandro Montalto (MuTE) Michael Wibral (TRENTOOL, Java Information Dynamics Toolkit) Patricia Wollstadt (TRENTOOL) ---------------------------------------------------------- Please apply/register by email before October 24th to wibral(a)em.uni-frankfurt.de as places for course and workshop are limited. Registration fees Student course: 50,00 EUR Workshop: 75,00 EUR Course+Workshop: 100,00 EUR Upon successful registration please wire the registration fees to: Account holder: Universitätsklinikum Account: 37 99 99, BLZ: 50050201 IBAN: DE 32 500 502 01 0000 37 9999 SWIFT-Code: HELADEF 1822 Reference: 21000521

1 0

ICCM 2015
by ICCM 2015 Sept. 26, 2014

Sept. 26, 2014

############################# Call for papers ICCM 2015 April 9 - 11, 2015 Tutorials: April 8, 2015 Groningen, The Netherlands ############################# We would like to invite you to the 13th International Conference on Cognitive Modeling: the premier conference for research on computational models and computation-based theories of human cognition. ICCM is a forum for presenting and discussing the complete spectrum of cognitive modeling approaches, including connectionism, symbolic modeling, dynamical systems, Bayesian modeling, and cognitive architectures. Research topics can range from low-level perception to high-level reasoning. In 2015 we specifically welcome contributions that use computational models to better understand neuroscientific data. We are pleased to announce three world-class invited speakers: Pieter Roelfsema (Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience), Mark Steyvers (University of California, Irvine), and John Anderson (Carnegie Mellon University). All types of submissions (full papers, poster abstracts, symposia, and pre-conference tutorials) are due on December 8, 2014, 11.59pm CEST. More information can be found on our website: http://www.iccm2015.org We hope to see you in Groningen! Niels Taatgen Marieke van Vugt Jelmer Borst Katja Mehlhorn #############################

1 0

Invitation - 4th International Conference " Aspects of Neuroscience" Warsaw, Poland, November 14th to 16th 2014
by Daniel Borek Sept. 25, 2014

Sept. 25, 2014

Dear Friend, On behalf of the Board of the Student Neurobiology Society operating at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw (Poland) we would like to invite you to *the 4**th** International Conference " Aspects of Neuroscience"* that will be held in Warsaw, Poland, *from November 14**th** to 16**th** 2014* at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw. As in the following years, this time the Conference also consists of poster and report symposia*. *November symposia will be devoted to*: Neurobiology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Clinical Neuroscience, Neuroinformatics and Neuroscience Borderlines*. Each of the thematic symposium will be preceded by a lecture delivered by one of the guests, a specialist of a given domain. The IV edition of Aspects of Neuroscience Conference will be opened by *prof. Krzysztof Palczewski *from Department of Pharmacology (Case Western Reserve University, Ohio, USA) with the lecture entitled "Chemistry of vision and inherited retinal disease". The closing lecture will be delivered by *prof. Wiesław Nowiński* from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research <http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agency_for_Science,_Technology_and_Research> who is a *creator of 3D human brain atlase.* Among our special guests are *dr Bruce Graham* from University of Stirling in Scotland (Neuroinformatics session), *prof. Leszek Kaczmarek* from Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences (Neurobiology session), *dr Valeria Gazzolla* from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam, assistant professor at the University of Groningen in Netherlands (Cognitive neuroscience session) and *prof. Semir Zeki – *the Head of the Wellcome Laboratory of Neurobiology (Vislab) at the University of College London (Borderlines of neuroscience session). The student lectures will take place simultaneously in two rooms, in *basic* version *and* in *extended version*. Language of conference is *English*. The event is intended for students, doctoral students and research workers related to neuroscience, but also for people who do not have any experience in this field of knowledge. *Registration for the conference is already open! * http://www.neuronauka.org/eng/?page_id=69 More information about conference and the whole Project: www.neuronauka.org/eng. Find us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspectsOfNeuroscience?fref=ts Yours sincerely, Student Neurobiology Society at the University of Warsaw Organizing Committee of the International Conference of Students and Young Scientists "The Aspects of Neuroscience"

1 0

POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
by Wilson Truccolo Sept. 24, 2014

Sept. 24, 2014

POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE AT BROWN UNIVERSITY: Applications for NIH-funded post-doctoral positions are invited for the Laboratory of Dr. Wilson Truccolo in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. The positions are for the development of data-driven stochastic and biophysical models of multiscale neural dynamics in human epilepsy. Data consist of simultaneous intracortical microelectrode array recordings of ensembles of single neurons and local field potentials, as well as ECoGs, during seizure and non-seizure states in individuals with intractable epilepsy. The project involves a collaboration between the labs of Dr. Truccolo and Dr. Sydney Cash (Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston). The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computational/theoretical neuroscience and modeling of stochastic neural dynamics. Related recent publications can be found on the Truccolo lab website ( http://www.truccololab.com/ <http://dl.dropbox.com/u/983891/Truccolo_home.htm>). Inquiries should be addressed to Dr. Truccolo (wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu) Applications including a CV, statement of research interests, and the names and full contact details of three referees should be sent to wilson_truccolo(a)brown.edu. -- Wilson Truccolo, Ph.D. Pablo J. Salame '88 Goldman Sachs Assistant Professor of Computational Neuroscience Institute for Brain Science & Department of Neuroscience, Brown University Lab website: http://www.truccololab.com/

1 0

PhD position in systems neuroscience at the Queensland Brain Institute (Australia).
by Allen Cheung Sept. 23, 2014

Sept. 23, 2014

Dear Colleagues, We are seeking a suitable PhD candidate to investigate the computational underpinnings of spatial representations in the rodent hippocampus. The candidate will use in vivo electrophysiology and new wireless recording technologies to record from individual neurons in behaving rodents. The work will be carried out in state-of-the-art facilities at the Queensland Brain Institute in Brisbane, Australia. Further information about the PhD project and the Queensland Brain Institute can be found at: http://jobs.uq.edu.au/caw/en/job/496483/phd-position-in-systems-neuroscienc… Allen ________________________________________________ Dr Allen Cheung Group Leader | Computational Neuroscience | Spatial Navigation Queensland Brain Institute | The University of Queensland Email: a.cheung(a)uq.edu.au ________________________________

1 0

Recruitment: Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour
by Peter Dayan Sept. 23, 2014

Sept. 23, 2014

Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour Under the Directorship of Professor John O’Keefe, the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour at UCL will commence operations in early 2015 bringing together world-leading scientists to investigate how brain circuits process information to create neural representations and guide behaviour. The Centre has been created through substantial investment from the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, and is being structured to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, enquiry and excellence. The Centre will be accommodated in a new, purpose-designed, seven-storey building located in Central London and offering an outstanding and unparalleled research environment through its provision of state-of-the-art research laboratories with integral biological services capability, cutting-edge scientific equipment, technologically-advanced prototyping and fabrication laboratories, significant in-house high-performance computing facilities and extensive data storage systems to support both experimental analysis and theoretical modelling. Neuroscientists working in the Centre will use the latest advanced molecular and cellular biology, imaging, electrophysiology and behavioural techniques. The Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit will be located at the heart of the Centre, facilitating broad and deep collaborations in data analysis and computational modelling. The full complement of scientists in the Centre is expected to reach 150 together with around 50 dedicated support staff. Scientists joining the Centre will become part of UCL Neuroscience which brings together over 450 principal investigators located primarily within the UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences and offers extensive opportunities for interaction and collaboration. Neuroscience is a strategic priority for UCL as it positions itself to become the world’s leading neuroscience institution. The Centre will offer additional opportunities for collaboration, networking and intellectual stimulation through its visitor programme, regular seminar series and the hosting of world-class scientific conferences and workshops. Formal teaching commitments will be minimal allowing scientists to focus on their research. The Centre is recruiting high-achieving, highly-motivated collaborative scientists with backgrounds in neuroscience as well as related physical and biological sciences, at all career levels. We invite applications from outstanding, innovative scientists who can evidence the highest levels of academic excellence through substantial peer-reviewed publications and significant scientific achievement. Given the technologically- advanced research proposed for the Centre, we are particularly interested in scientists wishing to extend the boundaries of technological development in areas such as high-density electrophysiological probes, telemetry, optical recording, molecular and genetic tools, new anatomical mapping techniques, and the use of virtual reality and other novel behavioural approaches such as video image analysis. Recruitment will take place on a continuing ad hoc basis and at dedicated residential recruitment workshops. The first recruitment workshop has been scheduled for 3-4 November 2014 with a focus on Fellowship applications. Senior scientist interviews will be scheduled from November onwards. Competitive salaries, tailored research space and generous relocation and recruitment packages, including research support, will be offered. For further details about vacancies and how to apply online, please visit: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/swc/opportunities

1 0

Tenure-track faculty position in computational cognitive neuroscience at Dartmouth
by James V. Haxby Sept. 23, 2014

Sept. 23, 2014

********** Assistant Professor, Computational Cognitive Neuroscience: The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Dartmouth College expects to make a tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor (entry-level or advanced) in Computational Cognitive Neuroscience effective July 1, 2015. We seek an individual who is able to provide high-quality teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels and who has exhibited excellence in independent research. We are interested in applicants who investigate how information is encoded in neural activity and who develop and use methods for decoding information from population responses and neural circuits. Our department has particular strength in Cognitive Neuroscience, Social Neuroscience, and Behavioral/Systems Neuroscience. We are particularly interested in applicants whose work focuses on high-level cognitive functions, such as, but not limited to, high-level vision and audition, attention, working memory, social cognition, and decision making. The department is housed in a state-of-the-art research and teaching facility that includes a dedicated 3T MRI scanner for brain imaging research and animal research facilities. Dartmouth also is home to the Neukom Institute for Computational Science, the Geisel School of Medicine, and the Thayer School of Engineering, which provide further opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaborations. With an even distribution of male and female students and over a third of the undergraduate student population from minority groups, Dartmouth is committed to diversity and encourages applications from women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities. Please submit an application including curriculum vita, a statement of research interests, pdf files of representative journal reprints or manuscripts, and contact information for three references. Applications should be submitted via http://apply.interfolio.com/25762. Questions can be addressed to James Haxby, Chair, Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Search Committee, by email (preferred; james.v.haxby(a)dartmouth.edu<mailto:james.v.haxby@dartmouth.edu>) or regular mail (Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, 6207 Moore Hall, Hanover, NH 03755). Review of applications will begin in November and continue until the position is filled. ----------------------- James Haxby Director, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences 6207 Moore Hall Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 03755 Professor Center for Mind/Brain Sciences - CIMeC University of Trento, Italy email: james.v.haxby(a)dartmouth.edu<mailto:james.v.haxby@dartmouth.edu>

1 0

CFP: Special Issue on "Information Theoretic Incentives for Cognitive Systems"
by Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi Sept. 23, 2014

Sept. 23, 2014

Dear Colleagues, we would like to draw your attention to the forthcoming special issue on "Information Theoretic Incentives for Cognitive Systems <http://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/information-theoretic>" in the open access journal Entropy and invite you to contribute -- deadline February 28th, 2015. In recent years, ideas such as "life is information processing" or "information holds the key to understanding life" have become more common. However, how can information, or more formally Information Theory, increase our understanding of life, or life-like systems? Information Theory not only has a profound mathematical basis, but also typically provides an intuitive understanding of processes, such as learning, behavior and evolution terms of information processing. In this special issue, we are interested in both: a.) the information-theoretic formalization and quantification of different aspects of life, such as driving forces of learning and behavior generation, information flows between neurons, swarm members and social agents, and information theoretic aspects of evolution and adaptation and b.) the simulation and creation of life-like systems with previously identified principles and incentives. Topics with relation to artificial and natural systems: information theoretic intrinsic motivations information theoretic quantification of behavior information theoretic guidance of artificial evolution information theoretic guidance of self-organization information theoretic driving forces behind learning information theoretic driving forces behind behavior information theory in swarms information theory in social behavior information theory in evolution information theory in the brain information theory in system-environment distinction information theory in the perception action loop information theoretic definitions of life Christoph Salge Georg Martius Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi Daniel Polani - Guest Editors - Further Information: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/entropy/special_issues/information-theoretic With best wishes, Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi -- Keyan Ghazi-Zahedi, Dr. rer. nat. Information Theory of Cognitive Systems Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences phone: (+49) 341 9959 545, fax: (+49) 341 9959 555, office A11

1 0

job openings at Tufts university
by sepideh sadeghi Sept. 22, 2014

Sept. 22, 2014

There are two tenure-stream faculty openings (research area: ML) at Tufts, department of Computer Science for Sep 15. There is also another opening for an interdisciplinary professorship (Computer Science, Psychology, Philosophy), intended to bridge research and education across departments and schools. More information can be found at http://www.cs.tufts.edu/Jobs/employment-opportunities.html. *Full Time Faculty* *Faculty Positions in Computer Science* The Department of Computer Science in the School of Engineering at Tufts University invites applications for two tenure-stream faculty appointments to begin in September 2015. We are looking for engaged and engaging researchers with a strong vision who can build and maintain a high-quality funded research program at Tufts. We are seeking candidates at the rank of Associate Professor or full Professor, although exceptional candidates at the rank of Assistant Professor will also be considered. We are particularly interested in researchers in the areas of machine learning and data mining broadly interpreted to include related fields where data and its analysis are central. These include, for example, adaptive systems in robotics, computational linguistics, computational sustainability, and visual analytics, as well as research involving interdisciplinary collaborations and applications in science, engineering and the humanities. Senior-level applicants should have an internationally renowned research program and a strong track record of outside funding. Junior-level applicants must hold a PhD in Computer Science or closely related field at time of appointment, and are expected to develop a high-quality funded research program. At all levels, candidates must have a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring. The Department of Computer Science has grown tremendously in the past decade in faculty and student size and in research expenditures. Located in the Boston area, the department benefits from outstanding undergraduate and graduate students, collaborative faculty, and cross-disciplinary research opportunities. Tufts University is one of the smallest universities ranked as a Research 1 university, and it offers the best of a liberal arts college atmosphere, coupled with the intellectual and technological resources of a major research university. Tufts University supports and encourages a culture of interdisciplinary research and there are numerous such opportunities within the School of Engineering, the School of Arts and Sciences, and through graduate and professional schools. Tufts' School of Engineering distinguishes itself by the interdisciplinary focus and integrative nature of its engineering education within the intellectually rich environment of a research university. Located only six miles from historic downtown Boston, faculty members on the Tufts Medford/Somerville campus have extensive opportunities for academic and industrial collaboration as well as participation in the rich intellectual life of the area. The School of Engineering is in the midst of a period of exciting growth that has seen recruitment of outstanding new faculty, a quadrupling of funded research over the last ten years, addition of new laboratory space, an emphasis on building diversity in engineering, and major curricular initiatives at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. We request that applications include the following materials: (a) a curriculum vitae, (b) a statement describing current and planned research, (c) a statement of teaching philosophy, (d) names and affiliations of three to five potential references, and (e) a sample of scholarly work. All these should be submitted online through Academic Jobs Online <https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/4533> (AJO). Reference letters will be solicited only with the candidate's explicit approval. Applicants have the option of providing such approval and asking for their letters to be submitted through AJO. Review of applications will begin December 8, 2014 and will continue until the positions are filled. For more information about the department, the positions, and the application procedure please visit http://www.cs.tufts.edu/. Inquiries should be emailed to cssearch(a)cs.tufts.edu . Tufts University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our faculty. Members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. *Senior Faculty Position in Computer Science, Philosophy, and Psychology* The Departments of Computer Science <http://www.cs.tufts.edu/>, Philosophy <http://ase.tufts.edu/philosophy/>, and Psychology <http://ase.tufts.edu/psychology/> at Tufts University will make an appointment at the level of Associate or Full Professor as part of the Cognitive Science Ph.D. Program <http://cogsci.tufts.edu/>. This interdisciplinary professorship is the first of its kind at Tufts, intended to bridge research and education across departments and schools. We are looking for applications from well-established scholars who could contribute to the ongoing research and teaching mission of the Cognitive Science Ph.D. Program, while expanding the intellectual output and visibility of at least two participating departments. Teaching and service obligations will be shared between the host departments most fitting to the successful candidate. The successful candidate will have achieved international stature in a subfield in cognitive science, and would ideally have an established track record of obtaining external funding and advising Ph.D. students. Any research area in cognitive science that combines some aspects of computer science, philosophy, linguistics, and psychology will be considered, for instance, cognitive or agent-based modeling and simulation, computational pragmatics, and situated embodied cognition. Applications should include a curriculum vitae, a statement describing current and planned research, a statement of teaching philosophy, a writing sample, the names and affiliations of three to five potential references, and an e-mail address and phone number at which the candidate may be reached. Evidence of teaching experience and expertise is also welcome. All application materials should be submitted online throughInterfolio <http://apply.interfolio.com/24625>. Letters of recommendation will be solicited only with the candidate's explicit approval. Review of applications will begin in Spring 2014 and will continue until the position is filled. The Cognitive Science Ph.D. Program at Tufts was started in 2011 and currently enrolls over 20 students for joint degrees in cognitive science and one of the following Ph.D. granting departments: Child Development <http://ase.tufts.edu/epcd/>, Computer Science, or Psychology. The undergraduate major inCognitive and Brain Sciences <http://ase.tufts.edu/psychology/undergradConcCognitive.htm> was started in 2008; currently there are 62 majors. This bridge professorship is intended to enhance interdisciplinary research and collaboration in cognitive science at Tufts; the successful candidate will have the opportunity to engage research activity broadly at Tufts and to shape the future of both the graduate and the undergraduate programs. For more information about the programs, please visit the Cognitive Science <http://cogsci.tufts.edu/> departmental page. Inquiries about the position should be emailed to cogsci-search(a)tufts.edu . Tufts University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. We are committed to increasing the diversity of our faculty. Members of under-represented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

1 0

Research Associate in Neuroscience, University of Leicester
by Atkinson, Sue Sept. 22, 2014

Sept. 22, 2014

Dear Colleagues, We are recruiting for a Research Associate here at the Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester. This position is supported by the Human Frontier Science Program and aims to investigate how the brain creates conceptual knowledge, bridging systems, cognitive and theoretical neuroscience. You will join an international research team, working alongside colleagues from Rockefeller University (Winrich Freiwald), The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Haim Sompolinsky) and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA, Trieste; Mathew Diamond and Davide Zoccolan) studying cross-species (rats, monkeys and humans) comparisons of experimental data, complimented by computational modelling. You will work on the analysis and collection of multiple single neuron recordings in epileptic patients (which are implanted with intracranial electrodes for clinical reasons) performing different cognitive tasks, and contribute towards the study of concept cells (a.k.a. Jennifer Aniston neurons; see e.g. Quian Quiroga et al, Nature 2005; Quian Quiroga; Nature Reviews Neuroscience 2012). You may also contribute to related projects using non-invasive scalp EEG recordings (e.g. Navajas et al, J. Neuroscience 2013) and/or electrophysiology and 2-photon imaging recordings in mice. You should have very good quantitative skills, a strong background in neuroscience and, ideally, a good experience with neurophysiology recordings. Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Sue Atkinson, Research Centre Manager, sam45(a)le.ac.uk or 0116 252 3249. Click on the link below (or copy and paste into your browser) here and search on the reference number SEN00514 for more information and to apply. http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/jobs/opportunities/jobsearch Sue ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Susan Atkinson Centre Manager Centre for Systems Neuroscience, University of Leicester, 9 Salisbury Road, Leicester, LE1 7QR, UK T: +44 116 252 3249 E: sam45(a)le.ac.uk<mailto:sam45@le.ac.uk> W: http://www2.le.ac.uk/centres/csn [cid:image001.jpg@01CFD671.58BF8A30] Elite without being elitist Follow us on Twitter<https://twitter.com/uniofleicester> or visit our Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/uniofleicester> page

1 0

on behalf of Wulfram Gerstner: New Textbook: Neuronal Dynamics - neurons, networks, cognition
by Reinoud Maex Sept. 20, 2014

Sept. 20, 2014

Dear colleagues and students, we would like to announce the publication of a new textbook Neuronal Dynamics - from single neurons to networks and models of cognition Cambridge Univ. Press 2014 by W. Gerstner, W.K. Kistler, R. Naud and L. Paninski This text covers classical topics of computational neuroscience (Hodgkin-Huxley model, Integrate-and-fire model, Hopfield model, Competitive networks) together with modern developments in the field (Generalized Linear Models, Generalized Integrate-and-Fire models, Network dynamics, Neural fields, Decision Theory, STDP). For students: Worked-out examples and exercises are available for each chapter - plus a series of video lectures For lecturers: Teaching material in pdf or pptx format more info on: http://neuronaldynamics.epfl.ch/ We hope you will enjoy reading! best regards Wulfram Gerstner, Werner Kistler Liam Paninski, Richard Naud

1 0

Two PhD positions in computational neuroscience at the Institute of Vision in Paris, France
by Angelo ARLEO Sept. 19, 2014

Sept. 19, 2014

Two fully-funded PhD positions in Computational Neuroscience at the Institute of Vision in Paris, France Job description Applications are invited for two PhD positions in the Aging in Vision and Action laboratory at the Institute of Vision (INSERM-CNRS-University Pierre & Marie Curie) Paris, France. The gradual impairment of vision-dependent functions with age is at the core of our research. The main goal is to characterize how healthy visual aging shapes perceptual and cognitive functions in humans. PhD project n.1 The first PhD fellow will model age-related changes of low-level processing, coding and perception in the visual system.This project will be carried out under the supervision of Tim Masquelier & Angelo Arleo (Institute of Vision, Paris, France) and Simon Thorpe (Brain & Cognition Research Center, Toulouse, France). We will design a biologically detailed spiking neural network model of the primate early visual system. The model will have to process natural images and videos, and have self-learning capabilities. We will use this model to study the impact of healthy aging on visual processing and perception. The PhD student will work hand-in-hand with experimentalists in our Aging in Vision and Action lab performing visual psychophysics with elderly humans. We expect this project to bridge the gap between observations at the neuronal level (e.g. spontaneous activity increases, spike timing precision decreases with aging), and observations at the behavioral level (e.g. perceptual thresholds increase). PhD project n.2 The second PhD student will model age-related consequences on visual-based spatial cognition. This project will be carried under the supervision of Denis Sheynikhovich & Angelo Arleo (Institute of Vision, Paris, France) and Ricardo Chavarriaga (EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Switzerland). We will build a spatial learning model based on spiking neural networks accounting for existing knowledge on the neural substrates of spatial memory and navigation in animals and humans. We will use this model to study the impact of healthy visual aging on neural coding and adaptation mechanisms mediating spatial orientation and navigation. The PhD student will work hand-in-hand with experimentalists in our Aging in Vision and Action lab studying spatial orientation and navigation in elderly humans. Again, this project aims at cross-linking findings at multiple organisation levels. Requirements Applicants should have a strong quantitative background (physics, engineering, computer science, applied mathematics), and a keen interest in reverse-engineering the brain. Knowledge on computational neuroscience, machine learning, image processing and programming languages (Matlab, C or Python) are a plus, although not mandatory. Proficiency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of French is not mandatory. Successful candidates are expected to work in an interdisciplinary environment with collaborations with biologists, theoreticians and clinicians. They will be awarded a 3-year PhD fellowship from the University Pierre and Marie Curie Paris. Working environment and laboratory The Institute of Vision is one of the top international centers for integrated research on vision and eye diseases. It is located at the heart of Paris, on the campus of the National Hospital Center for Ophthalmology. The Institute of Vision includes multidisciplinary research groups, which share state-of-the-art platforms for human and animal experimentation. It also harbors a clinical investigation center, which fosters truly translational research activity. More information can be found online (http://www.institut-vision.org) The Institute of Vision and Essilor International, world leader in ophthalmic optics, have recently supported the creation of the laboratory of Aging in Vision and Action. This new laboratory aims at evaluating and understanding the functional aspects of the degeneration mechanisms related to visual aging. This research has the potential to produce fundamental knowledge suited for opening to assistive technological developments and rehabilitation solutions. The faculty members of the Aging in Vision and Action laboratory, led by Angelo Arleo, are specialized in visual psychophysics, neurobiology of spatial orientation, neural coding, neurocomputational modeling, and preclinical evaluation. The group has access to a wide range of state-of-the-art platforms including eye trackers, motion capture rooms, virtual reality environments, brain imaging, artificial street labs and home labs (http://www.streetlab-vision.com/en/) How to apply Candidates should send a single pdf file containing a motivation letter, a full CV, and names and contact information of at least two referees, to angelo.arleo(a)inserm.fr. Short listed candidates will be contacted for an interview (either face-to-face or via videoconference). For further inquiries, please contact Angelo Arleo, angelo.arleo(a)inserm.fr, phone: +33 (0)1 53 46 26 52. Angelo ARLEO Institute of Vision, Aging in Vision and Action Lab, CNRS - INSERM - University Pierre&Marie Curie, 17, rue Moreau F-75012 Paris, France Phone: +33 (0)1 53 46 26 52 Mobile: +33 (0)6 89 89 07 23 email: angelo.arleo(a)inserm.fr; angelo.arleo(a)upmc.fr

1 0

Educational video available
by Geoffrey Goodhill Sept. 19, 2014

Sept. 19, 2014

Dear Computational Neuroscientists, Although it didn't win anything from the Society for Neuroscience, you might be interested in this entry for SFN's Brain Awareness Video contest, entitled "What has Maths got to do with the Brain?". It's a stop motion animation of dolls (representing high school students) discussing what subjects they should study next year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bEU1J-CN-U This was a collaboration between myself (scriptwriter) and my daughter (everything else, plus some script editing). Geoff Professor Geoffrey J Goodhill Queensland Brain Institute and School of Mathematics & Physics University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Phone: +61 7 3346 6431 Fax: +61 7 3346 6301 Email: g.goodhill(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:g.goodhill@uq.edu.au> http://www.qbi.uq.edu.au/professor-geoffrey-goodhill

1 0

New tools for integrating biomarkers in NBT.
by Simon-Shlomo Poil Sept. 18, 2014

Sept. 18, 2014

Dear comp-neuro List. We are happy to announce that a new version of the Neurophysiological Biomarker Toolbox (NBT-v0.5.0-alpha) is available. This version includes new tools for integrating multiple biomarkers. Please see more details here: http://l.nbtwiki.net/1uI628a The NBT toolbox (http://www.nbtwiki.net) is an open-source Matlab toolbox, which integrates easily with other toolboxes such as EEGlab and Fieldtrip. NBT provides a data processing pipeline, from raw data to final statistical analysis and visualization of M/EEG biomarkers combined with biomarkers from other modalities. The pipeline enables fast processing and the NBT data structure provides an intuitive and predictable interface for programming of advanced statistical analysis. Best regards, Simon-Shlomo Poil

1 0

COSYNE2015: Meeting Announcement and Call for Abstracts
by Tomas Hromadka Sept. 18, 2014

Sept. 18, 2014

================================================================== Computational and Systems Neuroscience (Cosyne) MAIN MEETING WORKSHOPS Mar 5 - Mar 8, 2015 Mar 9 - Mar 10, 2015 Salt Lake City, Utah Snowbird Ski Resort, Utah http://www.cosyne.org ================================================================== The annual Cosyne meeting provides an inclusive forum for the exchange of empirical and theoretical approaches to problems in systems neuroscience, in order to understand how neural systems function. The MAIN MEETING is single-track. A set of invited talks are selected by the Executive Committee, and additional talks and posters are selected by the Program Committee, based on submitted abstracts. The WORKSHOPS feature in-depth discussion of current topics of interest, in a small group setting. Cosyne topics include but are not limited to: neural coding, natural scene statistics, dendritic computation, neural basis of persistent activity, nonlinear receptive field mapping, representations of time and sequence, reward systems, decision-making, synaptic plasticity, map formation and plasticity, population coding, attention, and computation with spiking networks. This year we would like to foster increased participation from experimental groups as well as computational ones. Please circulate widely and encourage your students and postdocs to apply. Please note that the main Cosyne 2015 meeting will take place in a different venue (Hilton Salt Lake City Center) one week later than usual, see www.cosyne.org for details. IMPORTANT DATES: Abstract submission opens: 29 Sep 2014 Abstract submission deadline: 26 Nov 2014 CONFIRMED SPEAKERS: Amy Bastian (Johns Hopkins) Matteo Carandini (UCL) Sophie Deneve (ENS) Florian Engert (Harvard) Marla Feller (UC Berkeley) Wulfram Gerstner (EPFL) Shawn Lockery (U Oregon) Liam Paninski (Columbia) Nicole Rust (U Penn) Tatyana Sharpee (Salk) Mariano Sigman (UBA) Emo Todorov (U Washington) When preparing an abstract, authors should be aware that not all abstracts can be accepted for the meeting, due to space constraints. Abstracts will be selected based on the clarity with which they convey the substance, significance, and originality of the work to be presented. ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: General Chairs: Michael Long (NYU) and Stephanie Palmer (U Chicago) Program Chairs: Maria Geffen (U Penn) and Konrad Körding (Northwestern) Workshop Chairs: Robert Froemke (NYU) and Claudia Clopath (Imperial College) Publicity Chair: Xaq Pitkow (Rice) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Anne Churchland (CSHL) Zachary Mainen (Champalimaud) Alexandre Pouget (U Geneva) Anthony Zador (CSHL) CONTACT cosyne.meeting [at] gmail.com

1 0

Postdoc opportunity at Stanford in Reward Processing and Reinforcement Learning
by Wei Wu Sept. 17, 2014

Sept. 17, 2014

Postdoc opportunity at Stanford in Reward Processing and Reinforcement Learning (with application to TMS investigations and Transdiagnostic Imaging of Psychiatric Disorders) The Laboratory of Amit Etkin, MD PhD at Stanford University is currently accepting applications for a postdoctoral research fellowship focused on reward processing and reinforcement learning using computational modeling and fMRI in healthy individuals and patients with a range of psychiatric disorders. The focus of this position is on understanding application of these methods to the study of emotional disorders, manipulation of relevant circuitry using TMS, and development of new approaches for understanding the mechanisms of emotion regulation in health and disease. The successful applicant will have a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Neurophysiology, Psychology, Computer Science, Statistics or related fields. Experience with reward or reinforcement learning paradigms using fMRI or EEG, as well as computational modeling is strongly encouraged. Additional programming experience is a plus. A US Citizenship is also required. Duties will also include manuscript preparation, presentation of findings at conferences, management of research assistants and contribution to the preparation of grants. Laboratory and Stanford resources include research-dedicated 3T and 7T MRI scanners, concurrent TMS/fMRI setups and concurrent TMS/EEG setups. Salary commensurate with experience. More information about our ongoing studies can be found at: http://etkinlab.stanford.edu. To apply, please send a curriculum vitae, a statement describing research interests and relevant background and three letters of recommendations, as well as relevant reprints/preprints of research articles to: Amit Etkin, MD, PhD Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University amitetkin(a)stanford.edu

1 0

Postdoctoral fellow in multimodal neuroimaging of decision making
by Marios Philiastides Sept. 17, 2014

Sept. 17, 2014

We are looking to appoint one postdoctoral fellow to make a leading contribution to an ESRC funded project on the neurobiology of human decision making using multimodal neuroimaging. The post will be based at the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology (INP) at the University of Glasgow (ranked 2nd in the UK by the Guardian), which benefits from on-site access to the Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging (CCNi). The CCNi is a research-dedicated facility within the INP and it is equipped with state-of-the art brain imaging facilities comprising a 3T fMRI scanner (Siemens Trio), an MEG system, and several TMS and EEG systems, including MR-compatible recording options. Our group uses multimodal neuroimaging coupled with mathematical modelling to characterise the spatiotemporal dynamics and the computational principles of the brain networks underlying human decision making. Our analysis methods are heavily inspired by machine learning and statistical pattern recognition and are designed to exploit trial-to-trial variability in electrophysiologically-derived measures that can be used in conjunction with simultaneously acquired fMRI to tease apart the cascade of constituent cortical and subcortical processes involved in decision making. The primary focus of the project will be to unravel the neural correlates of learning and confidence during decision making, which will form the basis for further development of brain computer interfaces (BCI) for human-machine interaction. The latter will take place in close collaboration with Prof. Paul Sajda’s team at Columbia University in New York with whom the selected candidate will have the opportunity to interact regularly. Candidates must have a PhD (or equivalent) in neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science or in a related discipline. Candidates must have previous practical experience and working knowledge of human neuroimaging (including both EEG and fMRI) as evident by a strong track record of publications in international journals. The post holder must also have working knowledge of multivariate data analysis techniques, excellent programming skills in Matlab and previous experience in using either fSL or SPM analysis software. Previous experience in simultaneous EEG/fMRI experiments and computational modelling is desirable. This post will be available from 5th January 2015 or as soon as possible thereafter for three years. Salary: Grade 7 £33,242 – £37,394 per annum. Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr. Marios Philiastides at marios.philiastides(a)glasgow.ac.uk. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted. For more details on our research interests visit http://decision.ccni.gla.ac.uk. Apply online at www.glasgow.ac.uk/jobs (Ref: 009415) Closing date: 19 October 2014 -- Marios G. Philiastides, Ph.D. Associate Professor Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging University of Glasgow Glasgow, G12 8QB Web: http://decision.ccni.gla.ac.uk/ Email: marios.philiastides(a)glasgow.ac.uk

1 0

CFP 5th International Conference on Cloud Computing and Services Science - CLOSER 2015
by calendarsites＠insticc.org Sept. 17, 2014

Sept. 17, 2014

CALL FOR PAPERS 5th International Conference on Cloud Computing and Services Science - CLOSER 2015 Website: www.closer.scitevents.org May 20 22, 2015 Lisbon, Portugal Regular Papers Paper Submission: December 16, 2014 Authors Notification: March 11, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: March 25, 2015 Position Papers Paper Submission: February 3, 2015 Authors Notification: March 12, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: March 25, 2015 Workshops Workshop Proposal: January 8, 2015 Doctoral Consortium Paper Submission: March 13, 2015 Authors Notification: March 26, 2015 Camera Ready and Registration: April 8, 2015 Special Sessions Special Session Proposal: January 21, 2015 Tutorials, Demos and Panel Proposals March 20, 2015 Sponsored by: INSTICC Institute for Systems and Technologies of Information, Control and Communication INSTICC is Member of: WfMC Workflow Management Coalition OMG Object Management Group Logistics Partner: SCITEVENTS Science and Technology Events The 5th International Conference on Cloud Computing and Services Science, CLOSER 2015, focuses on the emerging area of Cloud Computing, inspired by some latest advances that concern the infrastructure, operations, and available services through the global network. Further, the conference considers as essential the link to Services Science, acknowledging the service-orientation in most current IT-driven collaborations. The conference is nevertheless not about the union of these two (already broad) fields, but about Cloud Computing where we are also interested in how Services Science can provide theory, methods and techniques to design, analyze, manage, market and study various aspects of Cloud Computing. KEYNOTE SPEAKERS CLOSER 2015 will have several invited keynote speakers, who are internationally recognized experts in their areas. Their names are not yet confirmed. PUBLICATIONS All accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings, under an ISBN reference, on paper and on CD-ROM support. SCITEPRESS is a member of CrossRef (http://www.crossref.org/) and every paper is given a DOI (Digital Object Identifier). All papers presented at the conference venue will be available at the SCITEPRESS Digital Library. It is planned to publish a short list of revised and extended versions of presented papers with Springer in a CCIS Series book (final approval pending). The proceedings will be submitted for indexation by Thomson Reuters Conference Proceedings Citation Index (ISI), INSPEC, DBLP, EI (Elsevier Index) and Scopus. AWARDS The awards will be announced and bestowed at the conference closing session. Please check the website for further information: closer.scitevents.org/BestPaperAward.aspx CONFERENCE CHAIR Markus Helfert, Dublin City University, Ireland PROGRAM CO-CHAIRS Víctor Méndez Muñoz, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB, Spain Donald Ferguson, Dell, United States CONFERENCE AREAS: Each of these topic areas is expanded below but the sub-topics list is not exhaustive. Papers may address one or more of the listed sub-topics, although authors should not feel limited by them. Unlisted but related sub-topics are also acceptable, provided they fit in one of the following main topic areas: 1. CLOUD COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS 2. SERVICES SCIENCE FOUNDATION FOR CLOUD COMPUTING 3. CLOUD COMPUTING PLATFORMS AND APPLICATIONS 4. CLOUD COMPUTING ENABLING TECHNOLOGY 5. MOBILE CLOUD COMPUTING AND SERVICES AREA 1: CLOUD COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS · Cloud Application Portability · Cloud Computing Architecture · Cloud Delivery Models · Cloud Deployment Models: Public/Private/Hybrid Cloud · Cloud Education · Cloud Interoperability · Cloud Risk, Challenges, and Governance · Cloud Scenarios · Cloud Standards · QoS for applications on clouds · Energy Management · Resource Management · Privacy, Security and Trust AREA 2: SERVICES SCIENCE FOUNDATION FOR CLOUD COMPUTING · Business Process Management and Web Services · Business Services Realized by IT Services · Cloud Brokering · Cloud Cost Analysis · Cloud Governance · Enterprise Architectures and Services · Federated Cloud · Human Beings in Service Systems · Industrial Applications of Services Science · Information and Service Economy · Internet of Services · Model-Driven Web Service Engineering · Semantic Web Technologies · Service Brokering · Service Composition and Mashups · Service Discovery · Service Innovation · Service Marketing and Management · Service Modeling and Specification · Service Monitoring and Control · Service Strategy · Service-Oriented Architecture · Services Security and Reliability · Web Services AREA 3: CLOUD COMPUTING PLATFORMS AND APPLICATIONS · Access Control · Application Data Migration · Big Data Cloud Services · Cloud Application Architectures · Cloud Application Scalability and Availability · Cloud Applications Performance and Monitoring · Cloud Economics · Cloud Middleware Frameworks · Cloudsourcing · Development Methods for Cloud Applications · XaaS · Cloud Services AREA 4: CLOUD COMPUTING ENABLING TECHNOLOGY · API Management · Cloud Abstraction of Composite IT Systems · Cloud Composition, Federation, Bridging, and Bursting · Cloud Ilities (Scalability, Availability,Reliability) · Cloud Optimization and Automation · Cloud Resource Virtualization and Composition · Virtual Infrastructure Management · VM Live Migration · Cloud Workload Profiling and Deployment Control · Distributed Management of Clouds · High Performance Cloud Computing · Metering, pricing, and software licensing · Monitoring of Services, Quality of Service, Service Level Agreements · Performance Development and Management · Programming Models, Systems, and Fault-Tolerant Computing · Security, Privacy, and Compliance Management · Troubleshooting and Best Practices · Virtualization Technologies AREA 5: MOBILE CLOUD COMPUTING AND SERVICES · Cloud-based mobile media systems and social networks · Engineering Mobile Clouds and Mobile-Based Systems · Location-based mobile cloud applications and services · Mobile cloud computing models, infrastructures, and approaches · Mobile Clouds for E-Commerce Services · Mobile multimedia content delivery, transferring, and migration · Mobile Reliability, Availability, Scalability and Performance · Pervasive Environments · Quality of service on mobile clouds and applications · Security Issues in Mobile Systems Software and Hardware · Smart mobile computing SaaS on clouds PROGRAM COMMITTEE http://closer.scitevents.org/ProgramCommittee.aspx Please check further details at the conference website closer.scitevents.org --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com

1 0

MURI Winter School Jan. 2015 **Abstract submission deadline NOV. 7, 2014**
by Santamaria, Cookie Sept. 16, 2014

Sept. 16, 2014

UCSD and the University of Chicago present: MURI WINTER SCHOOL 2015<http://biocircuits.ucsd.edu/special/winterschool2015> Dynamics of Multifunction Brain Networks Organizers: Henry Abarbanel (UCSD), Timothy Gentner (UCSD), and Daniel Margoliash (Univ. of Chicago) 15th Floor, Building 1, Village West<http://maps.ucsd.edu/mapping/viewer/default.htm?mkey=1&lc=open&km=open&rc=c…>, UC San Diego January 7-9, 2015 Registration deadline: Friday, December 5, 2014 Abstract submission deadline: Friday, November 7, 2014 Lecturers: Tim Gardner<http://www.bu.edu/biology/people/faculty/gardner/> (Boston University) – “TBA” Michael Long<http://longlab.med.nyu.edu/> (New York University) – “How does the brain generate behavioral sequences?” Gabriel Mindlin<http://www.lsd.df.uba.ar/> (University of Buenos Aires) – “The biomechanics of birdsong production” and “Low dimensional dynamics systems behind birdsong production” Richard Mooney<http://www.mooneylab.com/> (Duke University) – “Neurobiology of vocal learning” and “Forward mechanisms for hearing and learning” Marc Schmidt<http://www.bio.upenn.edu/people/marc-schmidt> (University of Pennsylvania) – “Brainstem and forebrain contributions to the generation of learned motor” Ofer Tchernichovski<http://ofer.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/> (Hunter College) – “Vocal learning beyond imitation: from cultural evolution to brain dopamine” and “How a song is learned: mechanisms of template matching” ________________________________________________________________________________ This is the third annual Winter School sponsored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research as part of its UCSD/Chicago MURI program in Dynamics of Multifunction Brain Networks. This year’s School presents a series of pedagogical and research oriented talks on the use of birdsong as a model system where theory and experiment can meet productively. It includes a series of pedagogical presentations and a poster session. The School is intended for all researchers, including advanced graduate students, interested in the general area of understanding functional nervous systems. Active participation during the School's lectures is strongly encouraged. All attendees are invited to submit abstracts for poster presentations. Selected contributed posters will be highlighted in an oral session. Registration is required for attendance, but there is no fee for attending. A limited number of travel awards are available for exceptionally qualified graduate students and postdocs, who should apply and have their supervisor send a letter of reference, via email, to muri.winter.school(a)gmail.com<mailto:muri.winter.school@gmail.com>. Please visit us online to register and for details regarding the schedule and poster abstract submission: http://biocircuits.ucsd.edu/special/winterschool2015

1 0

Graduate student position in computational cognitive neuroscience
by Sebastien Helie Sept. 15, 2014

Sept. 15, 2014

Dear Modelers, Dr. Sebastien Helie is looking for new graduate students interested in the Mathematical and Computational Cognitive Science (MCCS) program to join the Purdue Laboratory for Computational Cognitive Neuroscience in Fall 2015. The Purdue Laboratory for Computational Cognitive Neuroscience is affiliated with the Department of Psychological Sciences at Purdue University, which is consistently ranked among the top 50 in the US. The Purdue Laboratory for Computational Cognitive Neuroscience uses different methodologies from cognitive psychology, neuroimaging, and computational modeling to study the relation between the brain and cognitive processing. The goal of the Purdue Laboratory for Computational Cognitive Neuroscience is to use empirical and computational methods to better understand categorization, automaticity, rule learning, sequence learning, skill acquisition, and intuition in decision-making. You can find more information about the Department of Psychological Sciences @ Purdue University here: http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/psy/ You can find more information about the Mathematical and Computational Cognitive Science (MCCS) program here: http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/psy/graduate/research_training_areas/mathematical… You can find more information about The Purdue Laboratory for Computational Cognitive Neuroscience program here: http://ccn.psych.purdue.edu/index.html Interested students should contact Dr. Helie at shelie(a)purdue.edu. -- ----------------------------------- Sebastien Helie, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Psychological Sciences Purdue University 703 Third Street West Lafayette, IN 47907-2081 -- Office: Peirce Hall, Room 359 Phone: (765) 496-2692 E-mail: shelie(a)purdue.edu Website: http://ccn.psych.purdue.edu/ ------------------------------------

1 0

Faculty Position in Neuroscience, NYU-Shanghai
by Echo Wang Sept. 15, 2014

Sept. 15, 2014

*FACULTY POSITION* *Neuroscience**NYU Shanghai* Shanghai New York University (NYU Shanghai) invites applications for several assistant (tenure-track), associate (tenured), and full professor (tenured) positions from candidates with research programs in systems, computational, and cognitive neuroscience. The recruited faculty will also become members of a new neuroscience research institute, with the primary goal of understanding the mechanisms by which neural circuits in the brain generate cognition and flexible behavior. Neuroscientists at NYU Shanghai will also have the opportunity to interact and collaborate with researchers in Economics, Mathematics, Data Science and Engineering. Candidates must have completed a Ph.D. or equivalent by the time of application. The successful candidates will be expected to develop an independent, extramurally-funded research program, play a key role in the growth of the new Neuroscience Institute, and to teach in NYU Shanghai. Applications should be submitted by January 1, 2014 for appointments to begin as early as July 2014. NYU Shanghai is the first Sino-US higher education joint venture to grant a degree that is accredited in the US as well as in China. A research university with liberal arts and sciences at its core, NYU Shanghai resides in one of the world's great cities, which is also a vibrant intellectual community (http://shanghai.nyu.edu/) New York University has established itself as a Global Network University, with three degree granting campuses - New York, Shanghai, and Abu Dhabi - complemented by 12 additional academic centers across five continents. NYU Shanghai faculty may spend time at NYU New York and other sites of NYU’s global network engaging in both research and teaching. NYU Shanghai faculty will also have the opportunity to be affiliated with the Center for Neural Science, the Neuroscience Institute of the NYU School of Medicine, the Department of Psychology, and/or with other suitable academic units at NYU New York. The terms of employment in NYU Shanghai are comparable to U.S. institutions in terms of research startup funds and compensation, and include housing and educational subsidies for children. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, electronic copies of up to three recent relevant publications, and the names and addresses of three or more individuals willing to provide letters of reference. Please visit our website at http://shanghai.nyu.edu/about/open-positions for instructions and other information on how to apply. If you have any questions, please e-mail shanghai.faculty.recruitment(a)nyu.edu . NYU-Shanghai is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

1 0

Faculty Position in Computational Neuroscience at the University of California, Irvine
by Jeff Krichmar Sept. 14, 2014

Sept. 14, 2014

Dear Computational Neuroscientists, The following job position may be of interest to many of you. ************************** University of California, Irvine Faculty Position in Computational Neuroscience The Department of Cognitive Sciences (www.cogsci.uci.edu) at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) invites applications for a faculty position at the Associate or Full Professor level. We are especially interested in candidates who use mathematical, computational, or robotics approaches to study the neural basis of cognition in any of these areas: (1) vision, hearing, and attention; (2) memory and decision-making; (3) learning and development; (4) language. Applicants whose research relates to human behavior are preferred. A strong record of publications and extramural funding is essential. Exceptional candidates at the Assistant Professor level will also be considered. The online application includes: A cover letter, CV, research and teaching statements, 3 recent publications, and contact information for 3-5 referees. Interested candidates can apply for the position at: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/apply/JPF02452. To ensure full consideration, please complete the application by November 15, 2014. The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to excellence through diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy. ************************** Best regards, Jeff Krichmar Department of Cognitive Sciences 2328 Social & Behavioral Sciences Gateway University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92697-5100 jkrichma(a)uci.edu http://www.socsci.uci.edu/~jkrichma

1 0

postdoctoral position in Systems Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania
by Maria Geffen Sept. 12, 2014

Sept. 12, 2014

POSTDOCTORAL POSITION IN SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA A postdoctoral position is available in the Laboratory of Auditory Coding under direction of Dr. Maria Neimark Geffen at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine to study the neural mechanisms of hearing and emotional learning in the auditory cortex of awake rodents. We invite applications from talented, energetic and enthusiastic candidates with (or expecting) a Ph.D. in life sciences. The techniques include electrophysiological recordings, imaging and optogenetics in awake behaving rodents. Experience in either electrophysiology, imaging or behavioral studies is required. Computational skills are a plus. Please visit http://www.med.upenn.edu/hearing for more information. Our laboratory is part of the Hearing Sciences Center a at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Neuroscience and the Mahoney Institute of Neurological Sciences. University of Pennsylvania has a very interactive and diverse systems neuroscience community. The University of Pennsylvania is within walking distance of the downtown of Philadelphia, which provides for a vibrant cultural urban environment. Please submit your application, including a CV, a brief statement of past and future research interests, links to recent publications, and recommendation letters (a letter from Ph.D. advisor is required) to Dr. Maria Neimark Geffen at mgeffen(a)med.upenn.edu .

1 0

Henry Rutgers Term Chair in Computer and Data Science
by Bart Krekelberg Sept. 11, 2014

Sept. 11, 2014

Rutgers University - Newark (RU-N) seeks outstanding candidates to serve as Henry Rutgers Term Chair in Computer and Data Science, with a specific focus on computational methods in machine learning, or statistical modeling of complex data sets in the sciences, engineering, business, or medical fields. Recruitment is at the associate professor level; however, exceptional candidates qualifying for the full professor rank may be considered. This recruitment is part of the Rutgers University Strategic Plan to strengthen Rutgers leadership in burgeoning fields, and part of the new transdisciplinary research Institute for Data Science, Learning, and Applications (I-DSLA). I-DSLA brings together computer scientists, cognitive scientists, philosophers, and domain experts in neuroscience, environmental science, chemistry, medicine, business, and other professions. The new hire will be poised to leverage these experts as well as a new high performance computing cluster on the RU-N campus, to advance knowledge about learning from data. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computational Statistics, or a related field and have a record of excellent scholarship, as demonstrated by significant publications and funding. They should be open to collaborative research within the RU-N community and will be expected to help build a group of faculty in areas related to I-DSLA, maintain an active externally-funded research program, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and mentor Ph.D. students. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national public research university and the state's preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, military service or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. Applicants should apply no later than November 1st, 2014. To receive detailed instructions on how to apply, please email hrsearch(a)rutgers.edu with the subject line 'How to apply'. --- Bart Krekelberg, PhD Associate Director, Center for Molecular and Behavioral and Neuroscience Associate Director, Rutgers Brain Imaging Center Associate Professor, Rutgers University Newark, NJ 07102 USA T: 973 353 3602 W: vision.rutgers.edu E: bart(a)vision.rutgers.edu

1 0

Postdoctoral position available in the Niv Lab at Princeton
by Yael Niv Sept. 10, 2014

Sept. 10, 2014

A postdoctoral position is available in the lab of Dr. Yael Niv in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute and the Department of Psychology at Princeton University (http://www.princeton.edu/~nivlab) for a collaborative project with the lab of Geoffrey Schoenbaum at NIDA. Research in the Niv lab focuses on computational modeling of learning and decision making at the systems level (reinforcement learning, Bayesian inference), and model-driven behavioral and functional imaging experiments of human learning and decision making. Research in the Schoenbaum lab utilizes rodent models to study learning and decision making, as well as addiction. We seek an exceptionally talented candidate who is intensely interested in understanding decision making and addiction, has proven experience in empirical investigations of learning and decision making (and corresponding task design), has expertise in computer programming and modeling, and has a keen interest in reinforcement learning and normative models of behavior. Background in studies of addiction, functional imaging and/or rodent work is an advantage. Anticipated start date is January 2015 though there is considerable flexibility. This is a one-year position with the possibility of renewal, pending satisfactory performance. Essential Qualifications: PhD in psychology, neuroscience or equivalent. Proven experience with computer programming. Preferred Qualifications: The ideal candidate will have robust experience with fMRI (event related designs and model-based analysis techniques) or with studies of rodent decision making (Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning), will be proficient in programming (Matlab or equivalent), and will have experience with computational modeling (machine learning, reinforcement learning, Bayesian models). To apply, please visit the website https://jobs.princeton.edu (requisition # 1400567) and create an online application. Applicants must submit a cover letter stating background and research interests and citations of at least two representative publications, a CV, and contact information for at least two references. Princeton University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position is subject to the University’s background check policy.

1 0

Joint Neuroscience-Math tenure-track faculty position at UT Austin
by Ila Fiete Sept. 10, 2014

Sept. 10, 2014

Dear Colleagues, UT Austin is initiating a multi-faculty (cluster) search for tenure-track faculty in computational and theoretical neuroscience, to build on existing efforts here in that direction. I request that you pass on word of this search to exceptional senior postdocs who bridge math and neuroscience and are ready to start junior faculty positions. Attached below is the text of the search advertisement, and details on how to apply. Best regards, Ila --------------- The Departments of Neuroscience and Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin are seeking a leader in the field of mathematical neuroscience or mathematics applied to neuroscience, for appointment as a tenure-track assistant professor. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the intersection of neuroscience with dynamical systems, partial differential equations, algebraic geometry, statistics, information theory, stochastic processes, and applied and computational topology. This search is part of a multi-faculty hiring initiative in Computational and Theoretical Neuroscience at UT Austin -- including a position in Psychology and a joint position between Neuroscience and Computer Science, with the aim of building on existing strengths in the field to create a Computational and Theoretical Neuroscience center. The successful candidate will orchestrate an outstanding program of independent research and contribute to an environment of diversity in higher education through research, teaching, and service. She or he will have joint membership in both departments and teach one course in each department. The position will include full access to the Texas Advanced Computing Center supercomputers, and the option to join various multi-disciplinary advanced computing and neuroscience centers on campus. Qualified applicants with a Ph.D. or equivalent and two or more years of post-graduate experience will be considered for appointment. Applications will be reviewed starting September 5, 2014, until the position is filled. Please submit applications through the MathJobs website: https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/jobs/6059 <https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs>. A complete application will include: 1. Statement of research interests. 2. Curriculum vita. 3. Letters of reference from at least 3 individuals. 4. Statement of teaching philosophy and experience, with evidence of teaching excellence. UT Austin is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence through diversity. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals including women and minorities. UT Austin is responsive to the needs of dual career couples and is dedicated to work-life balance through an array of family-friendly policies (http://www.utexas.edu/provost/policies/family/) For further inquires related to this search, please email Kathleen Pantalion (kpantalion(a)mail.clm.utexas.edu <mailto:kpantalion@mail.clm.utexas.edu>). -- ________________________________ Ila Fiete Associate Professor Center for Learning and Memory The University of Texas at Austin Phone: 512.232.8439

1 0

Job Posting: Neuroscience Image Processing Scientist at Northwestern University
by Xue Wang Sept. 9, 2014

Sept. 9, 2014

The Department of Radiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine is seeking a full-time Neuroscience Image Processing Scientist. Under the direction of the Medical Director of the Neurological Testing Center and the Director of Neuroimaging Research, the Neuroscience Image Processing Scientist will be responsible for coordinating imaging for use in epilepsy surgery and other functional neurosurgical procedures. Assignments will require close interaction with neuroradiology and neuroimaging collaborators to develop and implement more advanced functional imaging techniques. The primary effort will be focused on the development and implementation of clinical tools; however, there is dedicated time for independent research. Northwestern has very active clinical and research programs in Neurology and Neuroimaging. Imaging resources include 10 clinical and 4 dedicated research high field MRI systems, a PET/CT system, high density EEG and TMS. There is a very active and rapidly expanding Neurosurgery group with strong collaborations with BrainLab, and a supportive clinical environment for research. Candidates should have an MD or PhD in neuroscience, medicine, physics, psychology or a related field, and excellent communication skills. Experience with analysis of structural, diffusion, fMRI including resting state, MEG, PET, SPECT, and EEG data is required. The ability to co-register multi-modality diagnostic (EEG, MEG) studies with SISCOM, MRI, fMRI, DTI and PET studies is a must. Experience in planning stereo EEG electrode placement, surgical guidance, and proficiency with PRISM software, CURRY Neuroimaging Suite, and BrainLab surgical navigation systems, is desired. The position is funded for an initial two-year time period, with a high likelihood of long term employment. Salary is based on the NIH scale and benefits are highly competitive. Position is available on July 1, 2014, and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applicants should send curriculum vitae, references and cover letter to: Todd B. Parrish, Ph.D. Department of Radiology 737 N. Michigan Ave, 16th Floor Chicago, IL 60611 toddp(a)northwestern.edu Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States

1 0

2014 SFN Meeting Workshop: NSG Portal for parallel simulations
by Ted Carnevale Sept. 9, 2014

Sept. 9, 2014

What: Using the Neuroscience Gateway Portal for Parallel Simulations A Satellite Symposium at the 2014 Society for Neuroscience Meeting Where: Location to be announced in downtown Washington, DC When: 9 AM - Noon on Saturday, November 15, 2014 Speakers to include: A. Majumdar, S. Sivagnanam, and T. Carnevale Registration deadline: Friday, October 31, 2014 Do you have a large scale modeling project that exceeds the speed or capacity of your local hardware? Have you tried to use high performance computing (HPC) resources at your own institution, but found the process too difficult because of administrative or technical barriers? If yes, this workshop is for you. In a single morning session, you will learn how to use the Neuroscience Gateway Portal (NSG) http://www.nsgportal.org/ which is designed for neuroscientists who need to use HPC resources for large modeling projects. It simplifies every aspect of the process, from getting allocations of free CPU time to uploading your model, launching and monitoring jobs, and downloading results. The NSG already has several parallel simulators installed, including Brian, NEST, NEURON, PGENESIS and PyNN. Space is limited, so sign up quickly. See http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/static/courses/nsg2014/nsg2014.html for further details and the registration form. Support: The NSG project is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. NSG provides its users free allocations of CPU time on HPC resources under the auspices of XSEDE (Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment), which is also supported by NSF.

1 0

PhD position in Neurocomputational modeling of language processing
by Hartmut Fitz Sept. 8, 2014

Sept. 8, 2014

A PhD position is available at the Max-Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, within the 'Language in Interaction' consortium. The PhD candidate will participate in a team effort to understand the neurobiology underlying language processing by building computer models for sentence processing based on recurrent networks of spiking neurons. The goal is to develop a model with processing memory based on vector representations of words which are incrementally interpreted in terms of thematic roles ("who did what to whom"). A core objective will be to investigate the computational role of different neuronal models, connectivity types, neurobiologically motivated adaptation mechanisms, and different methods for calibrating the model's read-out units. Closing date: 30 September 2014 For more information see: https://www.languageininteraction.nl/jobs/phd-positions.html https://www.languageininteraction.nl/jobs/id-2nd-phd-call-general.html

1 0

Postdoc opportunity at Stanford in Causal Brain Network Analysis
by Wei Wu Sept. 5, 2014

Sept. 5, 2014

Dear fellow researchers, The Etkin Lab at Stanford University is currently seeking to fill a postdoc position for causal brain network analysis. Please find below the job requirement and contact info. Thank you for your attention! Postdoc opportunity at Stanford in Causal Network Analysis – from Concurrent TMS/fMRI to Transdiagnostic Imaging of Psychiatric Disorders The Laboratory of Amit Etkin, MD PhD at Stanford University is currently accepting applications for a postdoctoral research fellowship focused on causal network analyses using fMRI in healthy individuals and patients with a range of psychiatric disorders. The focus of this position is on application of network analysis tools (e.g. graph theory, network-based statistics, etc) to fMRI data, including both causal circuit mapping experiments with concurrent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and fMRI, as well as resting-state data from patients across the mood, anxiety and stress disorders represented, and across the lifespan. The successful applicant will have a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Neurophysiology, Psychology, Computer Science, Statistics or related fields. Experience with analysis of fMRI data or with causal network analysis tools is required. Additional programming experience is a plus. Duties will also include manuscript preparation, presentation of findings at conferences, management of research assistants and contribution to the preparation of grants. Laboratory and Stanford resources include research-dedicated 3T and 7T MRI scanners, concurrent TMS/fMRI setups and concurrent TMS/EEG setups. Salary commensurate with experience. More information about our ongoing studies can be found at: http://etkinlab.stanford.edu. To apply, please send a curriculum vitae, a statement describing research interests and relevant background and three letters of recommendations, as well as relevant reprints/preprints of research articles to: Amit Etkin, MD, PhD Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University amitetkin(a)stanford.edu

1 0

New software for neuronal model fitting
by Szabolcs Káli Sept. 5, 2014

Sept. 5, 2014

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the availability of the first public (beta) version of Optimizer, an interactive software tool for fitting the parameters of neuronal models. Optimizer was developed in Python, and has the following main features: - efficiently fits the free parameters of arbitrary neural (or other) models using advanced nonlinear optimization algorithms - all aspects of the optimization problem (including the model, its free parameters, the target data, the simulation and recording protocol, the error function) and the fitting process itself can be conveniently controlled from a graphical user interface (GUI) - full internal support for models implemented in the Neuron simulator (while other models can be also optimized using a "black box" approach) - choice of 7 different (tunable) optimization algorithms, including a customized evolutionary (genetic) algorithm, differential evolution, simulated annealing, the basinhopping algorithm, random search, and two local search methods - choice of 11 different error functions for the comparison of simulated and experimental (target) data, including generic ones as well as several feature-based ones which are appropriate for the comparison of membrane potential traces containing action potentials; error functions can be combined with arbitrary weights - the software is easily extensible in various ways to support novel scenarios A paper describing the software, several use cases, and comparisons with other model fitting tools, has been recently published in Frontiers in Neuroinformatics (the abstract and citation details are included at the end of this message): http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fninf.2014.00063/abstract The software can be downloaded using git from https://github.com/vellamike/optimizer where you can also find instructions for installing the software and its dependencies. The current version of Optimizer has been verified to work under several recent Linux distributions. Alternatively, a compressed archive containing the software and various examples can be downloaded from https://github.com/vellamike/optimizer/releases/tag/v2.0-beta The documentation of the software is available at http://optimizer.readthedocs.org/en/latest/ Finally, we wish to encourage everyone interested in fitting neuronal models to try the software and provide feedback. If you find that your favorite optimization algorithm or error function is not currently included in Optimizer, it can probably be added with relatively little effort, especially given an existing implementation of the algorithm or function itself, and we would be very interested in collaborating on such an extension. We are also interested in learning about the model fitting problems encountered by potential users; we would be happy to advise users on whether and how Optimizer may be used to solve particular problems; in addition, future development of the software will be guided by the feedback that we receive. Best regards, Szabolcs Káli and Péter Friedrich Friedrich P, Vella M, Gulyás AI, Freund TF and Káli S (2014) A flexible, interactive software tool for fitting the parameters of neuronal models. Front. Neuroinform . 8 :63. doi: 10.3389/fninf.2014.00063 Abstract: The construction of biologically relevant neuronal models as well as model-based analysis of experimental data often requires the simultaneous fitting of multiple model parameters, so that the behavior of the model in a certain paradigm matches (as closely as possible) the corresponding output of a real neuron according to some predefined criterion. Although the task of model optimization is often computationally hard, and the quality of the results depends heavily on technical issues such as the appropriate choice (and implementation) of cost functions and optimization algorithms, no existing program provides access to the best available methods while also guiding the user through the process effectively. Our software, called Optimizer, implements a modular and extensible framework for the optimization of neuronal models, and also features a graphical interface which makes it easy for even non-expert users to handle many commonly occurring scenarios. Meanwhile, educated users can extend the capabilities of the program and customize it according to their needs with relatively little effort. Optimizer has been developed in Python, takes advantage of open-source Python modules for nonlinear optimization, and interfaces directly with the NEURON simulator to run the models. Other simulators are supported through an external interface. We have tested the program on several different types of problems of varying complexity, using different model classes. As targets, we used simulated traces from the same or a more complex model class, as well as experimental data. We successfully used Optimizer to determine passive parameters and conductance densities in compartmental models, and to fit simple (adaptive exponential integrate-and-fire) neuronal models to complex biological data. Our detailed comparisons show that Optimizer can handle a wider range of problems, and delivers equally good or better performance than any other existing neuronal model fitting tool.

1 0

Job/Fellowship Opportunity: Big Data IT Management and Automation in NeuroMorpho.Org
by Rubén Armañanzas Sept. 4, 2014

Sept. 4, 2014

George Mason University, Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study in Fairfax, VA (USA), invites applications for a full-time doctoral student graduate research assistant position available immediately in the Center for Neural Informatics, Structures, and Plasticity (krasnow1.gmu.edu/cn3) headed by Prof. Giorgio Ascoli. To be considered for this position, applicants must apply to the PhD program in Bioengineering at George Mason University (http://volgenau.gmu.edu/doctoral-degrees) following the instructions below. The successful applicant will join a collaborative multidisciplinary team at the cutting edge of the development and dissemination of digital tools and resources for neuroscience. The Ascoli Lab is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, and Keck. This position is particularly suited for computationally minded researchers seeking exposure to the burgeoning field of big data in neuroinformatics. The candidate will join the NeuroMorpho.Org project -- a free, public, centralized repository of neuronal digital reconstructions. NeuroMorpho.Org has firmly established itself as a powerful resource for the neuroscience community, with millions of downloads and data usage in over 200 publications by other labs since its 2006 public release. Its version 5.7 contains over 148,000 internal data files pertaining to more than 11,000 neuronal reconstructions contributed by 144 laboratories worldwide from 24 species and 95 brain regions. The pre-doctoral fellow will work within the CN3 research group and will be tasked with a variety of activities including design of new Information Technology (IT) solutions to enhance the performance of existing software and hardware infrastructure. Due to the growing pace of the field, the recipient will be also responsible for tuning and implementing the next generation support for Big Data handling of digital neuronal reconstructions. Desired qualifications include: 1. proficiency in C/C++, Java and Python; 2. experience in Unix/Linux server administration; MySQL design and administration; web technologies and API web services; content management systems; and 3. a BS/MS in Computer Science, Information/Systems/Software Engineering or a similar field. Knowledge in task analysis automation and interest in neuroscience are a plus. The position includes a $22,000/year 12 months-stipend (20 hours/week during academic year, 40 hours/week during summer) in addition to health insurance and up to 18 credits per year of tuition coverage in the Volgenau school of Engineering. To apply, please follow the PhD application instructions (http://volgenau.gmu.edu/how-to-apply) Include the wording "/Neuroinformatics fellowship in Prof. Giorgio Ascoli's lab/" in both your research/interest statement and cover letter. After submitting the application material, please also forward a copy of your resume, research/interest statement, and cover letter directly to ascoli(a)gmu.edu <mailto:ascoli@gmu.edu> with subject "Bioengineering PhD candidate". Beyond the frontiers of neuronal types

1 0

Postdoctoral position at the University of Pittsburgh
by Brent Doiron Sept. 3, 2014

Sept. 3, 2014

Applications are invited for a Simons foundation funded postdoctoral position(s) in the Mathematics and Neuroscience departments of the University of Pittsburgh. The project will involve the collection, analysis, and modeling of large-scale multi-unit recordings from cortex, with an emphasis on understanding how visual attention modulates neural response. Of specific interest is elucidating the neural mechanisms that underlie the control of neural variability, as well as its consequences on neural function. Successful candidates will either be members of the working group of Dr. Brent Doiron and will be in tight collaboration with the Dr. Marlene Cohen, or vice versa, depending on the fit of the applicant. Theoretical candidates should expect to be members of the Doiron group, while candidates with an experimental focus would be in the Cohen group. Please visit www.math.pitt.edu/~bdoiron and www.cohenlab.com for a list of recent work from the Doiron and Cohen groups. The successful candidate(s) will be integrated into the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu) a large and vibrant community of neuroscientists spanning many departments across the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. The position is funded for several years, with an initial one-year appointment and an expectation of extension to at least three years, given satisfactory performance. The salary is competitive, and the start date is negotiable (January 2015 is optimal). Applicants with a PhD in Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Neuroscience, Statistics, Biology, Psychology or a related discipline, and ideally with experience in computing, computational neuroscience, statistical analysis, or in vivo recording should send a CV including a list of publications, a research statement, and reference contact information to bdoiron(a)pitt.edu The University of Pittsburgh is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer, and women and members of minority groups under-represented in academia are especially encouraged to apply. -- Associate Professor of Mathematics Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition University of Pittsburgh 301 Thackeray Hall Pittsburgh, PA, 15260 www.math.pitt.edu/~bdoiron

1 0

Tenure Track Faculty Position in Neuroscience at Rutgers University - Newark
by Bart Krekelberg Sept. 3, 2014

Sept. 3, 2014

The Center for Molecular & Behavioral Neuroscience (CMBN) at Rutgers University seeks outstanding candidates for a tenure track Assistant Professor position in NEUROSCIENCE. Applicants should hold a Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience or a related field and have completed at least two years of post-doctoral training. The ideal candidate for this position asks fundamental hypothesis-driven questions about brain structure and function and is open to establishing collaborative research efforts within the Rutgers neuroscience community. Research areas of particular interest are executive control, sensory-motor integration, learning and memory, and emotional regulation. The successful applicant will likely use a broad range of experimental approaches in non-human primates, humans, and/or rodents, and methods including electrophysiology, optogenetics, and functional imaging. The assistant professor will be expected to maintain an active externally-funded research program, to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in neuroscience, and to mentor Ph.D. students in the Behavioral and Neural Sciences program. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national public research university and the state's preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Rutgers is dedicated to conducting research that breaks new ground; to teaching that meets the highest standards of excellence; and to providing services, solutions, and clinical care that help individuals and the local, national, and global communities where they live. CMBN is located in Newark NJ, a short drive from New York City. CMBN is part of a large community of neuroscientists at Rutgers Newark, with additional researchers in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Psychology as well as in the Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School. Collectively, these researchers represent all levels of analysis in neuroscience (http://www.neuroscience.newark.rutgers.edu) Applicants should apply as soon as possible, but no later than 10/20/2014. Rutgers is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and has a strong commitment to diversity. Women and members of underrepresented minorities are especially encouraged to apply. Rutgers-Newark is noted for its exceptionally diverse student population. To receive detailed instructions on how to apply, please send an email to search(a)cmbn.rutgers.edu with the subject line 'How to apply'. --- Bart Krekelberg, PhD Associate Director, Center for Molecular and Behavioral and Neuroscience Associate Director, Rutgers Brain Imaging Center Associate Professor, Rutgers University Newark, NJ 07102 USA T: 973 353 3602 W: vision.rutgers.edu E: bart(a)vision.rutgers.edu

1 0

IWSYP’14 - I International Workshop on Synaptic Plasticity
by Thiago Matos Pinto Sept. 3, 2014

Sept. 3, 2014

Dear colleagues, Please see the information below about an upcoming workshop on synaptic plasticity. Best wishes, Thiago *** I International Workshop on Synaptic Plasticity - IWSYP’14 *** University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil Workshop dates: September 8th - 9th 2014 Organizers: Thiago Matos Pinto and Antonio Roque Participation is free of charge! This workshop is a satellite event of the XXXVIII Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for Neuroscience and Behavior (SBNeC), which will be held on September 10-13 in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro. The SBNeC meeting will also feature big names in Neuroscience, and will be a preparatory event for the 9th World Congress of the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO), which will take place in Rio de Janeiro in 2015. Confirmed speakers: Chris De Zeeuw (Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands & Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Freek Hoebeek (Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands) Reinoud Maex (École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France) Ricardo Leão (University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) Thiago Matos Pinto (University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) Gabriela Antunes (University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) Giseli de Sousa (Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil) Cleiton Lopes Aguiar (University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) Renan Oliveira Shimoura (University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) Bruna Lanzillotta de Mattos (Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil) Luana Chagas (Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil) Querusche Zanona (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) Fabiana Santana (Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) We look forward to seeing you in Ribeirão Preto. With best wishes, Thiago Matos Pinto, IWSYP'14 Organizer

1 0

Faculty positions in Computer Science at American University
by Mark Laubach Sept. 2, 2014

Sept. 2, 2014

American University, College of Arts & Sciences, Department of Computer Science Computer Science (Assistant, Associate or Full Professor) The Department of Computer Science in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University in Washington, DC invites applications for up to three tenure-track or tenured Assistant/Associate/Full Professors to form a collaborating research team. We seek either a group of researchers who will be hired together, or a senior individual with a vision for filling the other positions. The team’s research expertise may be in any area of computer science. Following the department’s strong recent hires in the interdisciplinary areas of computational neuroscience and persuasive gaming, the university seeks to build computer science’s core program areas, which may include algorithms and data structures, architecture, robotics, databases and information retrieval, human-computer interactions, numerical and symbolic computation, operating systems, programming languages, or software methodology and engineering. Preference will be given to teams or visions that contribute to more than one of the core program areas, and that contribute to the university’s capacity in the area of big data. The Computer Science Department is currently in a period of expansion, and is poised to become a leader in the university’s technology an innovation sectors. To support this trajectory, the department will soon be moving to a new building that is designed to promote inspiration, collaboration, creation and cultivation. QUALIFICATIONS All applicants should have a strong record of (or potential for) externally sponsored research. We are especially eager to recruit candidates with established research partnerships (or the ability to form such partnerships) in the Washington, DC area. Candidates should also have a record of excellence in teaching and mentoring students. Teaching responsibilities will include core courses in computer science and more advanced courses in the applicant’s area of specialty. The Ph.D. in Computer Science or a closely related field is required; post-doctoral or industry experience is preferred. At least one appointment will be at a senior level with tenure. Preference will be given to senior candidates who are able and willing to lead the department, including (but not limited to) the development of a Ph.D. granting program. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Applicants should include a statement (a joint statement for team applications) of research outlining the research focus (or foci) and future plans for developing a nationally competitive, externally funded research program at American University. In addition to a (joint, if applicable) research statement, each applicant should include statements of individual research and teaching experience, a CV, and the names of three references not in the proposed team. Please submit applications via: http://apply.interfolio.com/25813. Review of applications will begin November 3 and continue until the position is filled.

1 0